ppl 


BV  1475  .S681  1922  _ 
squires,  Walter  Albion. 
God  revealing  His  truth 


God  Revealing  His  Truth 

II.  Through  His  Son 

Intermediate  Department,  First  Year,  Part  II 

By  IX 
WALTER  ALBION  SQUIRES,  B.D. 

The  Westminster  Textbooks  of  Religious  Education 

For  Church  Schools  Having  Sunday,  Week 

Day,  and  Expressional  Sessions 

Edited  by  JOHN  T.  PARIS,  D.D. 


Philadelphia 

The  Westminster  Press 

1922 


Copyright,  1922, 

by 

F.  M.  BRASELMAN 


Introduction 


GENERAL  PLAN  OF  THE  WESTMINSTER 
TEXTBOOKS  OF  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION 

The  Westminster  Religious  Education  Textbooks  aim 
to  unify  the  educational  program  of  the  individual  church 
by  furnishing  a  graded  course  of  study  suitable  for  Sun- 
day-school classes,  week-day  church  school  classes,  and 
expressional  organizations.  The  lessons  are  so  con- 
structed as  to  make  the  Sunday  sessions  largely  devo- 
tional and  the  week-day  sessions  largely  informational. 
Suggestions  are  given  for  an  expressional  meeting  in 
which  pupils  discuss  the  application  of  the  truths  they 
have  learned  to  their  own  life  problems.  In  these  meet- 
ings they  also  plan  for  various  forms  of  Christian  serv- 
ice without  which  mere  information  and  formal  devo- 
tion are  devoid  of  any  great  religious  value. 

Churches  planning  to  use  these  textbooks  will  need  to 
provide  for  one  hour  of  religious  instruction  on  week 
days  in  addition  to  their  usual  program.  In  the  Primary, 
Junior,  and  Intermediate  departments  of  the  Sunday 
school,  the  Westminster  Textbooks  will  replace  the  les- 
son materials  heretofore  in  use.  The  expressional  work 
of  the  Westminster  Textbooks  will  supplant  the  usual 
topics  in  the  Junior  and  Intermediate  Christian  Endeavor 
societies,  or  new  expressional  organizations  will  be 
formed  to  have  charge  of  this  phase  of  the  educational 
task  of  the  church. 

In  carrying  out  the  plan  it  is  desirable  that,  so  far  as 
possible,  the  same  teachers  be  in  charge  in  all  three  ses- 
sions of  the  church  school.  Where  this  is  not  possible, 
there  should  be  one  efficient  supervisory  agency  and  an 
efficient  superintendent  for  the  whole  program. 


SUGGESTIONS  CONCERNING  THE  GOAL  OF 
THE  LESSONS  IN  THIS  VOLUME 

Teachers  of  pupils  in  the  first  year  of  the  Intermediate 
Department  are  face  to  face  with  a  great  opportunity. 
At  the  age  of  twelve  or  thirteen,  young  people  begin  to  be 
peculiarly  responsive  to  the  altruistic  ideals  presented  in 
the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus.  The  time  is  drawing  near 
when  most  of  them  will  make  a  life  decision  for  or 
against  the  Christian  religion.  An  adolescent  religious 
awakening  is  entirely  normal  for  young  people  of  the 
Intermediate  age.  Without  wise  guidance  and  care- 
ful nurture  this  religious  tendency  of  the  young  life  is  apt 
to  be  but  a  feeble  and  transient  spiritual  phenomenon. 
But  under  the  guidance  of  wise  and  consecrated  parents 
and  teachers  the  religious  awakening  of  the  youthful 
soul  becomes  a  permanent  and  compelling  influence, 
dominating  the  whole  personality  of  its  possessor. 
Statistics  seem  to  show  that  the  greatest  number 
of  decisions  for  the  Christian  life  are  made  at  about 
the  age  of  sixteen.  This  does  not  mean,  however, 
that  the  age  named  is  the  most  desirable  time  for  this 
great  choice,"  neither  does  it  mean  that  it  is  the  normal 
age  for  such  a  decision.  Many  facts  of  psychology  indi- 
cate that  the  choice  is  belated  even  when  it  occurs  at  the 
comparatively  early  age  of  sixteen  years.  If  our  religious 
educational  program  were  perfect  in  the  home,  the 
Church,  and  the  community,  it  is  probable  that  the  ma- 
jority of  people  would  make  the  decision  for  the  Christian 
life  and  experience  a  marked  religious  awakening  at 
about  the  age  of  twelve.  The  first  warm  and  tender  af- 
fections of  approaching  adolescence  would  find  expression 
in  a  deepening  love  of  God  as  he  is  revealed  in  his  Son. 
Like  the  boy  Jesus  in  the  Temple,  these  young  lives 
would  become  conscious  of  a  personal  relationship  and 


vi  SUGGESTIONS  CONCERNING  THE  GOAL 

precious  fellowship  with  the  eternal  God.  They  would 
hear  him  calling  them  to  be  about  the  Father's  business. 
The  bringing  of  boys  and  girls  to  such  an  experience  is 
the  goal  of  these  lessons  and  the  teacher  should  have  it 
ever  in  mind.  These  lessons  do  not  undertake  to  create 
Christians  by  any  other  process  than  that  which  consists 
in  a  personal  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord. 


NOTEBOOK  WORK 

It  wMl  be  found  very  helpful  if  the  pupils  are  given 
notebook  work  in  connection  with  the  lessons.  Note- 
books should  be  of  a  uniform  size  and  pattern  and  large 
enough  to  contain  a  picture  five  and  one-half  inches  wide 
by  eight  inches  long.  Pictures  suitable  for  each  lesson 
will  be  named,  together  with  the  catalogue  number  and 
the  firm  where  they  may  be  purchased.  Thus,  "  The 
Nativity,  Hofmann  (797C  Perry)"  would  mean  that  the 
picture  named  is  for  sale  by  the  Perry  Pictures  Company, 
Maiden,  Massachusetts,  and  that  its  catalogue  number  is 
as  indicated.  References  will  be  made  to  pictures  for  sale 
by  George  P.  Brown  and  Company,  Beverly,  Massachu- 
setts ;  and  by  W.  A.  Wilde  Company,  120  Boylston 
Street,  Boston,  Massachusetts.  The  teacher  should  se- 
cure the  catalogue  of  each  of  the  firms  named.  Most  of 
the  pictures  listed  will  be  of  the  one-cent  or  two-cent 
type. 

Some  such  title  as  ''  The  Life  of  Jesus  in  Art  "  should 
be  placed  on  the  front  cover  of  the  notebooks.  These 
titles  may  be  put  on  very  neatly  with  Wilson's  gummed 
letters  for  sale  by  The  Tablet  and  Ticket  Company,  624 
West  Adams  Street,  Chicago,  Illinois.  The  firm  named 
has  branch  offices  in  New  York  and  San  Francisco,  and 
pupils  living  in  parts  of  our  country  remote  from  Chicago 
will  probably  save  time  by  ordering  from  the  branch  of 
the  firm  nearest  to  them.  These  letters  are  sometimes  on 
sale  at  the  Dennison  stores. 

The  teacher  should  be  provided  with  the  following 
books  in  order  that  she  may  give  the  pupils  information 
concerning  the  pictures: 

"  Pictures  in  Religious  Education,"  by  Beard. 

"  The  Gospel  in  Art,"  by  Bailey. 

"  The  Story  of  the  Masterpieces,"  by  Stuart. 
With  these  books  for  reference,  the  teacher  will  be  able, 


viii  NOTEBOOK  WORK 

in  most  cases,  to  give  her  pupils  facts  concerning  the 
artists  who  painted  the  pictures,  where  the  original  paint- 
ings are  to  be  found,  and  other  interesting  items  for  their 
notebook  work.  Pupils  may  be  asked  to  write  brief  com- 
positions on  the  various  pictures.  Information  regarding 
pictures  will  be  indicated  in  the  lessons  by  giving  the 
name  of  the  author  of  the  book  containing  the  desired 
material,  together  with  the  page  on  which  it  is  found. 
Thus,  "  Bailey,  page  103,"  would  mean  that  the  desired 
information  may  be  found  on  page  103  of  "  The  Gospel 
in  Art,"  by  Bailey. 


SUGGESTIONS  CONCERNING  THE  EXPRES- 
SIONAL  MEETING 

The  expressional  meeting  will  be  found  to  be  of  the 
greatest  importance.  It  is  in  this  meeting  that  the  pupils 
will  learn  self-expression  and  initiative.  It  is  here  that 
they  will  learn  how  to  apply  the  spiritual  truths  they 
have  learned  to  their  own  life  problems.  It  is  here  that 
they  will  plan  and  organize  those  forms  of  Christian  ser- 
vices without  which  the  results  of  the  other  sessions  of 
the  church  school  will  be  largely  wasted.  It  is  suggested 
that  pupils  be  chosen  to  lead  the  meetings  under  the 
supervision  of  the  teacher,  that  committees  be  formed 
for  planning  the  w^ork  of  the  department,  and  that  the 
social  and  recreational  activities  of  the  pupils  be  centered 
here. 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  committees  which  may  be 
formed.  It  is  not  thought  that  all  of  these  committees 
ought  to  be  set  up  at  the  start.  It  would  probably  be 
best  to  organize  them  one  at  a  time  as  opportunities 
arose  for  using  them,  or  as  their  need  was  indicated  by 
lesson  studies.  Other  committees  than  those  named 
may  be  needed  and  will  suggest  themselves  to  the 
thoughtful  teacher. 

1.  Lookout  Committee.  This  committee  would  en- 
deavor to  gain  new  members  for  the  class,  or  department, 
look  after  absent  members,  and  seek  in  other  ways  to 
keep  the  class  up  to  a  high  standard  of  attendance  and 
punctuality. 

2.  Class  Meetings  Committee.  It  would  be  the  duty 
of  this  committee  to  secure  leaders  for  the  expressional 
sessions  of  the  class  and  to  help  the  leaders  to  prepare 
plans  for  the  meetings. 

3.  Flower  Committee.  This  committee  would  supply 
flowers  for  church  services  and  for  those  confined  to 
their  homes  through  sickness. 


X         SUGGESTIONS  FOR  EXPRESSIONAL  MEETING 

4.  Pastor's  Helpers  Committee.  It  would  be  the  duty 
of  the  members  of  this  committee  to  help  the  pastor  of 
the  church  in  any  way  he  might  direct. 

5.  Teacher's  Helpers  Committee.  The  members  of 
this  committee  would  help  the  class  teacher  in  such  mat- 
ters as  putting  material  on  the  blackboards,  grading 
papers,  and  distributing  school  supplies. 

6.  Sabbath  Observance  Committee.  This  committee 
would  be  given  such  tasks  as  are  involved  in  finding  out 
how  the  Sabbath  is  kept  in  the  community  and  in  sug- 
gesting ways  and  means  for  a  better  keeping  of  the  Sab- 
bath in  the  community. 

7.  Surveys  Committee.  The  members  of  this  com- 
mittee might  be  asked  to  report  on  the  number  of  boys 
and  girls  of  Intermediate  age  in  the  community,  number 
of  the  same  age  in  Sunday  school,  and  the  like.  The 
teacher  could  show  them  how  to  construct  simple  graphs 
showing  the  results  of  their  investigations. 

8.  Home  Missions  Committee.  It  would  be  the  duty 
of  this  committee  to  gather  information  concerning  the 
home  mission  enterprises  of  the  denomination.  The 
members  might  secure  letters  from  home  missionaries 
and  Sunday-school  missionaries  to  be  read  in  the  meet- 
ings of  the  class.  Certain  meetings  might  well  be  given 
over  to  the  study  of  home  mission  matters. 

9.  Foreign  Missions  Committee.  This  committee 
would  do  for  the  foreign  mission  work  of  the  denomina- 
tion what  the  preceding  committee  is  expected  to  do  for 
the  home  mission  enterprises  of  the  denomination. 

10.  Visitation  Committee.  The  members  of  this  com- 
mittee would  be  given  the  task  of  visiting  those  of  the 
class  who  were  sick,  or  the  visiting  of  children's  wards  in 
hospitals,  and  other  like  forms  of  Christian  service. 

11.  Community  Betterment  Committee.  It  would  be 
the  task  of  this  committee  to  consider  such  problems  as 
the  beautifying  of  streets  and  parks  and  all  movements 
for  community  cleanliness.  They  might  plan  for  com- 
munity picnics  or  community  song  services. 

12.  Wild  Life  Committee.  This  committee  would 
have  to  do  with  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  conserva- 
tion of  our  birds  and  wild  animals.     They  might  inaugu- 


SUGGESTIONS  FOR  EXPRESSIONAL  MEETING        xi 

rate  campaigns  for  the  putting  out  of  nesting  boxes  for 
birds  and  the  feeding  of  the  birds  in  times  of  storm  or 
drought. 

13u  Press  Committee.  This  committee  should  at- 
tend to  all  matters  of  pu1:)licity,  seeing  that  reports  of  the 
activities  of  the  class  arc  sent  to  the  local  papers. 

14.  Quiet  Hour  Committee.  It  would  be  the  duty  of 
this  committee  to  cultivate  the  habit  of  prayer  among  the 
members  of  the  class. 

15.  Stewardship  Committee.  This  committee  would 
cultivate  in  the  class  the  habit  of  systematic,  generous, 
and  proportionate  giving. 

Some  central  truth  of  each  chapter  in  this  volume  is 
formulated  into  a  law.  These  laws  are  to  constitute  the 
fundamental  basis  of  conduct  for  the  pupils.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  class  should  feel  that  they  are  taking  upon 
themselves  a  serious  obligation  in  subscribing  to  these 
laws.  A  part  of  each  expressional  session  might  profita- 
bly be  spent  in  discussing  the  laws  of  the  class  and  in 
hearing  from  pupils  concerning  their  experiences  in  keep- 
ing these  laws.  If  pupils  are  asked  to  write  out  these 
accounts  and  hand  them  in  without  signing  their  names 
to  them,  the  temptation  to  become  priggish  will  be  re- 
moved. 


USE  OF  THE  BIBLE  IN  THIS  COURSE 

The  textbooks  ought  not  to  be  used  as  a  substitute  for 
the  Bible.  Each  pupil  should  have  his  own  Bible  and 
should  use  it  constantly  both  in  the  preparation  of  the 
lessons  and  in  the  classroom  discussions.  Pupils  should 
read  the  Scripture  on  which  each  lesson  is  based  before 
taking  up  the  study  of  the  lesson.  Teachers  should  in- 
sist on  this  constant  use  of  the  Bible  and  make  constant 
use  of  the  Scriptural  material  in  conducting  the  recita- 
tions. It  is  recommended  that,  instead  of  the  memoriz- 
ing of  isolated  verses,  Scriptural  passages  of  some  length 
be  chosen.  These  passages  could  be  repeated  in  concert 
and  occasionally  by  individual  pupils.  In  this  way  some 
of  the  sublime  passages  of  the  New  Testament  could  be 
made  the  lasting  possession  of  the  children.  Following 
is  a  list  of  passages  suggested  as  suitable  for  such  use : 

Matt.  2:1-12.  Mark  4:1-9.  Luke  15:11-32. 

Matt.  5:1-12.  Luke  2:8-20.  John  3:1-21. 

Matt:  25:1-13.  Luke  10:30-37.  John  14:1-24. 

Matt.  25:31-46.  Luke  15:1-7.  John  15:1-15. 


xu 


VARIOUS  ADJUSTMENTS  OF  THE  WESTMIN- 
STER RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  TEXT- 
BOOKS  TO   THE   EDUCATIONAL 
PROGRAM  OF  THE  CHURCH 

Since  the  lessons  in  these  textbooks  constitute  a  uni- 
fied course  of  study,  they  may  be  used  in  a  great  variety 
of  ways.  If,  for  any  reason,  a  church  finds  it  impossible 
to  discontinue  the  use  of  its  present  Sunday-school  lesson 
materials,  yet  wishes  to  set  up  a  week-day  school,  the 
Westminster  Textbooks  may  be  used  in  the  week-day 
classes.  The  part  of  each  chapter  intended  for  the  Sun- 
day school  may  be  taken  on  a  week  day.  If  the  church 
has  a  one-hour-a-week  school,  the  Sunday  lesson  of  the 
Westminster  Textbooks  would  be  taken  one  week,  the 
regular  week-day  lesson  the  next  week,  and  so  on. 

Churches  not  wishing  to  use  the  expressional  material 
in  the  Christian  Endeavor  societies  could  plan  for  an  ex- 
pressional meeting  on  a  week  day  or  use  as  much  of  the 
expressional  material  as  was  found  possible  in  the  other 
two  sessions.  In  all  of  these  plans,  however,  there  would 
be  an  imperfect  correlation  of  the  educational  program  of 
the  church.  It  is  urged  that  wherever  possible  the  whole 
program  be  put  on  as  it  is  explained  in  a  preceding  para- 
graph. With  a  unified  course  of  study,  it  is  believed  that 
the  educational  program  of  the  church  can  be  greatly 
strengthened,  by  the  elimination  of  duplications  and  the 
giving  of  adequate  emphasis  to  all  phases  of  the  teach- 
ing process. 

Philadelphia,   Pennsylvania,   September,  1922. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAGE 

General  Plan  of  the  Westminster  Textbooks  of  Relig- 
ious Education iii 

Suggestions  Concerning  the  Goal  of  the  Lessons  in  This 

Volume V 

Notebook  Work vii 

Suggestions  Concerning  the  Expressional  Meeting ix 

Use  of  the  Bible  in  This  Course xii 

Chapter            I.     Palestine  in  the  Time  of  Jesus 1 

Chapter          II.     The  Birth  and  Infancy  of  Jesus 15 

Chapter         III.     The  Years  at  Nazareth 28 

Chapter         IV.     The  Life  and  Character  of  John  the 

Baptist 41 

Chapter  V.     Jesus  Making  Ready  for  His  Great 

Task  53 

Chapter         VI.     Jesus  Beginning  His  Ministry 67 

Chapter       VII.     The  Sermon  on  the  Mount 80 

Chapter      VIII.     Methods  Which  Jesus  Used  in  His 

Work 93 

Chapter         IX.     Some  Parables  of  Jesus 106 

Chapter           X.     The  Power  of  the  Son  of  God 119 

Chapter         XI.     The  Period  of  Greatest  Popularity.  130 
Chapter       XII.     With  His  Disciples  in  the  Land  of 

the  Gentiles 144 

Chapter     X.III.     With  His  Disciples  on  the  Slopes  of 

Mount  Hermon 158 

Chapter      XIV.     An    Evangelistic   Campaign   in   the 

Region  East  of  the  Jordan 169 

Chapter       XV.     Nearing  the  End  of  His  Ministry. .  181 
Chapter      XVI.     The  Upper  Room  and  the  Garden 

of   Gethsemane 195 

XV 


CONTENTS 


Chapter    XVII. 

Chapter  XVIII. 
Chapter  XIX. 
Chapter  XX. 
Chapter     XXI. 


PACK 

Delivered  Into  the  Hands  of  Sinful 

Men    206 

Our  Risen  Lord 220 

Who  Is  Jesus? 233 

The  Matchless  Character  of  Jesus.  .   246 
The  Kingdom  of  Jesus 258 


CHAPTER  I 

PALESTINE  IN  THE  TIME  OF  JESUS 

WEEK   DAY   SESSION 

A  CRUEL  GOVERNMENT  AND  A  SELFISH  RELIGION 
Matt.  2:1-8;  23:1-28 

At  the  time  when  Jesus  lived  on  earth  the  Roman 
Empire  controlled  nearly  all  the  known  world.  Palestine 
was  a  part  of  this  world-wide  empire.  The  descendants 
of  David  no  longer  ruled  any  part  of  that  land  which  had 
once  been  the  Jewish  kingdom.  Indeed,  many  of  the 
people  who  were  descended  from  the  former  Jewish  kings 
were  now  among  the  poorest  inhabitants  of  the  land. 
God  had  graciously  given  the  Hebrew  people  a  second 
chance  when  he  allowed  them  to  return  to  their  home- 
land after  they  had  been  carried  away  as  prisoners  to 
Babylon.     But  the  Hebrew^s  wasted  this  second  chance. 

God  punishes  the  sins  of  nations  just  as  he  punishes  the 
sins  of  individuals.  He  punishes  the  nations  for  their 
own  good,  that  they  may  "  cease  to  do  evil  "  and  "  learn 
to  do  well."  The  Hebrews  had  shown  that  they  were  not 
worthy  to  be  free.  They  had  failed  to  govern  them- 
selves ;  so  God  sent  the  Romans  to  be  their  masters.  Yet 
God's  love  is  so  wonderful  that  even  while  he  punishes  he 
continues  to  love.  He  was  planning  to  give  his  chosen 
people  one  more  chance,  a  greater  chance  than  they  had 
ever  known.  He  was  planning  to  send  them  his  owm  Son 
to  be  their  Teacher  and  their  King.  How  this  wonderful 
Son  of  God  came  to  the  earth,  what  he  said  and  did,  and 
how  the  people  of  the  world  received  him  are  topics 
which  we  are  to  study  in  the  lessons  of  this  book.  Surely 
no  story  in  all  the  world  can  be  more  interesting  than 
this. 

Into  what  kind  of  world  did  God's  Son  come?  We 
shall  try  to  answer  this  question  in  the  lesson  for  to-day. 


2        INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOE  LEvSSONS 

We  have  chosen  two  passages  of  Scripture  which  throw 
some  light  on  the  question.  The  first  of  these  passages 
tells  us  something  about  the  kind  of  government  under 
which  the  people  were  living  when  Jesus  was  born. 

Herod  the  Great.  A  certain  man  named  Herod  was 
the  ruler  of  the  Jewish  people  at  the  time  of  Jesus'  birth. 
He  called  himself  king  of  the  Jews  though  he  was  not 
really  a  king  at  all.  He  had  to  obey  the  Romans  in  every- 
thing. He  was  not  a  descendant  of  David  for  he  was  not 
even  a  Jew,  but  an  Idumsean,  that  is  he  was  a  native  of 
the  country  southwest  of  the  Dead  Sea. 

Because  he  knew  that  he  had  no  right  to  be  king, 
Herod  was  always  afraid  that  some  one  would  take  the 
kingdom  from  him.  The  longer  he  lived,  the  more  sus- 
picious he  became.  He  began  to  think  that  members  of 
his  own  family  were  plotting  to  kill  him  and  to  seize  the 
throne.  His  first  suspicions  were  regarding  his  wife's 
relatives  who  were  descendants  of  the  Maccaboean  kings. 
He  feared  they  would  try  to  make  themselves  rulers  of 
the  land  instead  of  himself  so  he  had  many  of  them  cast 
into  prison  and  some  of  them  were  put  to  death.  Then 
the  suspicions  of  this  cruel  and  selfish  man  were  turned 
toward  his  own  sons.  There  were  wicked  men  about 
Herod  who  kept  whispering"  to  him  that  his  sons  were 
planning  to  make  themselves  rulers  over  the  land.  In  his 
jealous  rage  he  took  the  lives  of  three  of  his  sons.  Last  of 
all  his  beautiful  wife,  the  Maccabaean  princess  Mariamne, 
came  to  be  suspected.  Herod  had  her  put  to  death  also. 
It  was  this  dreadful  man  that  ruled  over  the  Jewish 
people  when  Jesus  came  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

Herod  and  the  Wise  Men.  Matt.  2  :l-8.  One  day  when 
Herod  was  an  old  man  certain  strangers  from  far-away 
lands  in  the  East  came  into  Jerusalem.  These  strangers 
went  about  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  asking,  *'  Where  is 
he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews?  for  we  saw  his  star  in 
the  east,  and  are  come  to  worship  him."  When  Herod 
heard  about  these  strange  visitors,  and  about  the  question 
they  were  asking,  he  was  troubled.  The  mention  of  a 
king  of  the  Jews  was  enough  to  awaken  within  him  the 
fiercest  kind  of  jealousies  and  hatreds.  He  had  been 
fighting  all  his  life  to  keep  some  "  king  of  the  Jews  "  from 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH   SCHOOL  LESSONS         3 

taking  his  throne  and  now  somewhere  out  among  the 
villages  of  Juclea  a  little  child  had  been  born.  These 
strangers  were  speaking  of  that  child  as  "  King  of  the 
Jews  "  and  were  seeking  him  to  worship  him.  The  tot- 
tering old  man,  only  a  few  months  away  from  his  grave, 
rose  up  and  gnashed  his  teeth,  but  he  soon  smothered  his 
rage.  He  had  gained  his  throne  and  kept  it  by  craftiness. 
He  did  not  wish  people  to  know  how  agitated  and  angry 
he  was.  He  sent  for  the  Wise  Men  and  talked  with  them 
about  this  infant  King  who  had  been  born.  Then  he 
sent  them  away  with  a  hypocritical  request  to  "  Go  and 
search  out  exactly  concerning  the  young  child ;  and," 
said  he,  "  when  ye  have  found  him,  bring  me  word,  that 
I  also  may  come  and  worship  him." 

The  Troubled  City.  Herod  was  not  the  only  person  in 
Jerusalem  who  was  stirred  by  the  question  of  the  Wise 
Men.  We  are  told  that  all  "  Jerusalem  "  was  troubled 
with  him.  The  word,  "  troubled,"  as  used  here,  means 
agitated  or  excited.  Ever  since  the  days  of  the  prophets 
the  Hebrew  people  had  believed  in  the  coming  of  a 
Messianic  King.  Was  he  about  to  appear?  How  differ- 
ently the  message  must  have  affected  different  people! 
It  woke  the  suspicious  jealousy  of  Herod  and  caused  him 
to  plot  the  destruction  of  the  infant  King.  Down  in 
Herod's  dungeons  there  may  have  been  some  righteous 
man  held  as  a  prisoner  by  that  cruel  tyrant.  Perhaps  this 
lonely  man  heard  some  rumor  of  the  Wise  Men's  ques- 
tion and  a  great  hope  sprang  up  in  his  heart :  "  Can  it  be 
true?  Is  the  King,  indeed,  about  to  appear?"  Over  in 
the  Temple  was  an  aged  and  saintly  man.  We  know  that 
he  had  been  w^aiting  for  years  to  see  the  coming  King. 
He  had  been  praying  to  God  that  he  might  not  die  until 
he  should  see  the  Lord's  Christ.  It  may  be  that  this  old 
man  heard  about  the  question  which  the  Wise  Men  were 
asking  and  that  his  heart  was  made  glad  because  he 
knew  that  his  prayer  was  soon  to  be  answered.  Maybe 
there  were  bad  men  in  high  offices  in  Jerusalem  who 
heard  about  the  King  who  was  born  and  through  whose 
hearts  fear  began  to  creep  at  the  mention  of  his  name. 
A  guilty  conscience  makes  cowards  of  us  all.  In  Jerusa- 
lem, too,  there  were  multitudes  who  were  hungry  and 


4        INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

cold  and  sick  and  poor.  These  people  probably  heard 
the  rumors  about  a  king-'s  being'  born  and  were  en- 
couraged to  hope  once  more,  for  they  believed  that  the 
coming  king  would  "  judge  the  poor  of  the  people  "  and 
that  he  would  "  save  the  children  of  the  needy  "  and 
**  break  in  pieces  the  oppressor." 

Herod  is  known  in  history  as  "  The  Great,"  but  he  was 
great  only  in  wickedness.  He  might  have  been  a  truly 
great  man  for  he  had  abilities  of  a  high  order  and  he  had 
large  opportunities,  but  he  fell  far  short  of  true  great- 
ness. He  missed  the  mark  through  sin.  And  there  were 
other  men  of  that  time  who,  at  heart,  were  just  as  bad  as 
Herod.  Many  of  these  bad  men  were  high  officials  of  the 
Jewish  Church. 

The  Pharisees.  As  we  study  the  story  of  Jesus'  life, 
we  shall  find  the  Pharisees  mentioned  again  and  again. 
Our  second  passage  of  Scripture  for  this  lesson  gives  us 
some  of  the  words  which  Jesus  spoke  to  these  Pharisees. 
We  see  in  what  Jesus  said  that  the  Pharisees  were,  for 
the  most  part,  evil  men.  They  thought  themselves  very 
righteous,  however,  and  despised  all  people  who  were  not 
Pharisees.  They  thought  that  religion  consisted  in  obey- 
ing little  rules  which  they  had  made  concerning  how  the 
law  of  Moses  should  be  kept.  They  put  chalk  on  their 
faces  that  people  might  think  that  they  were  pale  from 
fasting  and  therefore  very  religious. 

The  Scribes.  We  shall  find  that  certain  persons  called 
scribes  are  often  mentioned  along  with  the  Pharisees. 
These  scribes  were  among  the  most  learned  men  of  the 
times.  They  copied  the  Scriptures  and  made  them  into 
books.  These  books  were  not  like  our  books  of  to-day, 
but  were  long  rolls  wound  on  two  sticks.  The  scribes 
were  also  teachers  of  the  laws  of  Moses  and  of  the  rules 
which  had  been  made  concerning  the  way  in  which  these 
laws  should  be  kept.  In  character  the  scribes  were  much 
like  the  Pharisees.  There  were  some  just  and  honest 
men  among  them,  but  most  of  them  were  so  full  of  pride 
and  prejudice  that  they  refused  to  have  anything  to  do 
with  Jesus. 

The  Publicans.  We  shall  also  find  frequent  mention 
made  in   the   New  Testament  of  certain   persons   called 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS        5 

publicans.  These  pu1)licans  were  tax  collectors.  The 
Romans,  having  conciuered  the  Jews,  made  them  pay 
very  heavy  taxes.  The  burden  of  taxation  was  made  still 
more  grievous — in  fact,  almost  unbearable — by  the  way 
in  which  it  was  collected.  The  Romans  would  sell  a 
man  the  right  to  collect  taxes  in  a  certain  territory.  Then 
this  man  who  had  bought  the  right  to  collect  the  taxes 
was  given  the  right  to  collect  money  from  the  people  of 
the  territory  over  which  he  had  been  appointed  tax  col- 
lector. No  limit  was  set  as  to  the  amount  he  was  to  col- 
lect. He  usually  aimed  to  gather  enough  to  repay  him 
for  what  he  had  given  to  the  Romans  and  as  much  more 
as  he  could.  There  were  Jews  who  were  mean  enough 
to  become  tax  collectors  under  this  plan  and  thus  they 
became  robbers  and  oppressors  of  their  fellow  country- 
men. It  is  little  wonder  that  these  publicans  were  looked 
upon  as  traitors  to  their  country  and  enemies  to  the 
religion  of  their  forefathers. 

The  Samaritans.  When  the  people  of  the  Northern 
Kingdom  were  carried  away  into  captivity  by  the  As- 
syrians, there  were  a  few  poor  Jewish  families  who  were 
left  behind  in  the  desolated  land.  Later  the  Assyrians 
brought  in  a  good  many  foreign  people  and  gave  them 
homes  in  the  lands  which  had  belonged  to  the  Jews. 
These  foreign  people  and  the  poor  Jews  who  had  been 
left  in  the  land,  mingled  with  one  another  and  became 
known  as  the  Samaritans.  Their  country  was  called 
Samaria.  The  Samaritans  wished  to  be  worshipers  of 
Jehovah  and  would  have  joined  with  the  Jews  of  Judea, 
but  the  Jews  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  this  mixed 
race.  So  the  Samaritans  built  a  temple  to  Jehovah  on 
Mount  Gerizim.  This  made  the  Jews  v.ery  angry  and  at 
one  time  they  burned  the  temple  which  the  Samaritans 
had  built.  So  it  had  come  to  pass  that  in  the  time  of 
Jesus  there  was  the  bitterest  kind  of  hatred  between  the 
Jews  and  Samaritans.  In  their  hatred  of  Samaritans  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  were  worse  than  any  other  Jews. 

NoTi^BOOK  Work 
It  is  hoped  that  the  pupils  who  study  these  lessons  will 
make  notebooks   in  which  they  will  paste  the  pictures 


6        INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

given  them  by  the  teacher.  In  these  books  should  be 
recorded  interesting  items  concerning  the  lessons.  The 
compositions  which  pupils  write  about  the  various  pic- 
tures should  also  be  given  a  place  in  these  notebooks. 
Place  on  the  outside  cover  of  the  notebooks  the  title, 
"  The  Life  of  Jesus  in  Art."  Under  the  title  should  be 
placed  the  pupil's  name,  as  the  author  of  the  book.  Titles 
and  names  may  be  put  on  very  neatly  with  the  Wilson 
gummed  letters  for  sale  at  stationers. 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  For  a  frontispiece. 
The  Christ,  by  Hofmann  (802  B,  Perry ;  two-cent  size.)  ; 
to  illustrate  the  Sunday  lesson,  Ruth  and  Naomi,  by 
Calderon  (414,  Wilde). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

HUMBLE  HEARTS  AND  GODLY  HOMES  AS  THE 
CITADELS  OF  GOD'S  TRUTH 

Ruth,  chs.  1,  2,  4 

In  ancient  times  every  important  town  had  its  citadel. 
This  was  usually  a  high  and  fortified  hill  in  the  center  of 
the  town.  In  times  of  war  the  besieging  armies  could 
not  gain  a  permanent  foothold  until  they  had  captured 
the  citadel ;  hence  it  was  the  one  place  to  which  the  de- 
fenders held  most  desperately.  In  this  lesson  we  are  to 
learn  how  the  hearts  of  humble  and  righteous  people,  and 
the  godly  homes  in  which  such  people  lived,  were  like  a 
citadel  where  God's  truth  found  refuge  in  the  evil  times 
in  the  midst  of  which  Jesus  was  born.  A  wicked  and 
cruel  tyrant,  calling  himself  the  king  of  the  Jews,  ruled 
over  God's  chosen  people.  The  leaders  of  the  Jewish 
Church  were  proud,  selfish,  and  hypocritical.  Yet  we 
must  not  conclude  that  there  were  no  righteous  people 
in  the  world  when  Jesus  came.  Neither  must  we  think 
that  God's  plans  for  a  universal  Kingdom  of  justice  and 
brotherhood  had  come  to  naught.  None  of  God's  plans 
ever  really  fail  and  this  greatest  of  his  plans  can  never 
fail.     In  spite  of  the  seeming  failure  there  had  been  real 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS        7 

progress  and  there  had  been  a  true  preparation  for  the 
coming  of  God's  Son. 

Even  the  Leaders  Not  All  Bad.  As  we  continue  our 
study  of  the  life  of  Jesus  we  shall  learn  that  there  were 
some  good  people  among  the  leaders  of  the  Jewish 
Church  and  some  good  people  connected  with  the  govern- 
ment in  the  days  when  Jesus  lived.  We  shall  learn  of 
a  Jewish  priest  and  his  wife  who  "  were  both  righteous 
before  God,  walking  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  Lord  blameless."  We  shall  learn  of  an 
aged  man  and  an  aged  woman  who  lived  continually  in 
the  Temple  and  who  "  were  righteous  and  devout,  look- 
ing for  the  consolation  of  Israel."  We  shall  learn  of 
Roman  captains  who  recognized  Jesus  as  a  just  and  holy 
man  and  who  paid  him  highest  honors. 

Jesus  and  the  Common  People.  But  it  was  among  the 
common  people  that  Jesus  found  most  of  his  friends. 
These  people  were  not  Pharisees,  neither  were  they 
scribes.  They  had  no  time  to  learn  the  thousands  of 
little  rules  about  the  keeping  of  the  Jewish  law.  They 
were  fishermen  and  farmers.  Some  of  them  were  publi- 
cans. The  Pharisees  despised  these  common  Jews  and 
said  that  they  were  accursed  because  they  did  not  keep 
the  law  of  Moses  in  the  right  way.  We  shall  learn  how 
these  common  people  of  Palestine  rallied  around  Jesus, 
how  they  followed  him  about  in  such  a  vast  crowd  that 
sometimes  they  almost  trampled  upon  one  another.  We 
shall  see  how  they  wished  him  to  become  king  of  their 
country  and  how  they  welcomed  him  into  Jerusalem  with 
shouting  and  singing  while  they  carpeted  the  road  with 
their  own  garments  and  scattered  flowers  all  along  the 
way.    From  this  class  Jesus  chose  his  disciples. 

The  Messianic  Hope.  Ever  since  the  time  of  David 
and  the  prophets,  the  Hebrew  people  had  been  expecting 
the  coming  of  one  who  should  be  a  just  and  noble  king, 
one  who  should  be  a  deliverer,  setting  them  free  from  the 
rule  of  foreign  nations  and  restoring  the  kingdom  of  the 
Jews  in  unity  and  strength.  The  Jews  called  this  ex- 
pected deliverer  the  Messiah,  or  the  Anointed  One, 
hence  their  expectation  is  called  the  Messianic  hope.  We 
shall  see  how  Jesus  was  the  true  Messiah,  the  Son  of 


8        INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

David  for  whom  the  people  were  hoping,  but  we  shall 
also  learn  that  he  had  come  to  do  a  more  sublime  work 
than  the  people  of  that  day  could  understand.  He  had 
come,  not  to  save  one  nation,  but  to  save  the  world  and 
to  establish  a  Kingdom  that  should  last  forever.  It  will 
be  interesting  for  us  to  see  how  some  of  the  Jewish 
people  rose  to  this  grander  conception  of  the  Messiah's 
mission  and  how  some  of  them  rejected  Jesus  because 
he  would  not  be  the  kind  of  Messiah  they  wished  him 
to  be. 

Godly  Homes.  Although  religion  had  grown  cold  and 
formal  with  regard  to  the  public  services  in  the  time  of 
Jesus,  true  religion  was  still  found  in  many  humble 
homes.  There  were  many  Hebrew  parents  who  still  car- 
ried in  their  hearts  the  commandments  of  Jehovah  and 
who  taught  these  commandments  diligently  to  their  chil- 
dren. In  many  homes  there  was  a  spirit  of  true  piety 
and  festivals  like  the  passover  were  largely  religious  ser- 
vices in  these  homes.  In  a  humble  home  of  this  kind,  the 
home  of  a  workingman  of  Nazareth  in  Galilee,  Jesus 
spent  his  childhood  and  youth. 

The;  Story  oi?  RuTii  and  Naomi 

There  is  a  beautiful  story  in  the  Old  Testament  which 
gives  us  a  word  picture  of  the  kind  of  people  and  the 
kind  of  homes  about  which  we  have  just  been  speaking. 
It  is  about  people  who  lived  in  Palestine  a  good  many 
years  before  Jesus  was  born,  but  they  lived  very  much 
as  people  lived  in  the  time  of  Jesus.  Indeed,  the  people 
about  whom  this  story  is  told  were  ancestors  of  King 
David  and  since  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  was  a  de- 
scendant of  David,  they  were  of  course  ancestors  of 
Jesus. 

On  the  hills  near  Bethlehem  there  lived,  in  the  times 
of  the  Judges,  a  Hebrew  farmer  with  his  wife  and  two 
sons.  The  soil  is  not  very  fertile  around  Bethlehem.  It 
is  too  near  the  desolate  wilderness  of  Judea  to  be 
very  productive.  But  this  Hebrew  farmer  managed  to 
raise  enough  wheat  and  barley  to  keep  himself  and  his 
family  above  serious  want  so  long  as  the  usual  spring 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS        9 

rains  fell.  There  came  a  season,  however,  when  these 
rains  did  not  come.  The  farmer  and  his  family  had 
meager  food  that  winter.  The  next  summer  the  drought 
was  worse  than  before.  Elimelech,  for  that  was  the  farm- 
er's name,  now  told  his  family  that  they  must  seek 
another  home.  They  heard  that  across  the  Jordan  in  the 
highlands  of  Moab  there  had  been  abundant  rain.  Moab 
was  not  so  very  far  away.  They  could  see  the  blue  wall 
of  its  mountain  highlands  rising  dimly  in  the  east.  So 
Elimelech  and  his  wife  Naomi  and  his  two  sons,  Mahlon 
and  Chilion,  crossed  the  Jordan  River  and  journeyed  into 
Moab.  There  they  found  food,  but  they  longed  for  their 
little  home  in  the  hills  of  Bethlehem  in  the  land  which 
Jehovah  had  given  to  their  forefathers. 

These  simple  farmer  folk  were  worshipers  of  God.  It 
was  Jehovah,  their  God,  who  gave  them  food  by  sending 
the  rain  for  the  wheat  and  the  barley.  It  was  Jehovah, 
too,  who  withheld  the  rain  and  caused  the  crops  to 
wither.  They  thanked  Jehovah  for  his  gifts  and  although 
they  could  not  always  understand  why  he  brought  them 
sorrow,  yet  they  felt  that  he  must  be  just  and  wise  and 
good ;  and  so  they  loved  and  trusted  him  always. 

After  a  time  Elimelech  died  and  was  buried  in  the  land 
of  Moab.  The  two  sons  married  young  Moabite  women. 
The  names  of  these  tw^o  young  women  were  Ruth  and 
Orpah.  Mahlon  and  Chilion  also  died  and  Naomi  was 
left  alone  with  her  two  daughters-in-law. 

When  Naomi  heard  that  Jehovah  had  visited  her  na- 
tive land  and  had  given  the  people  bread,  she  determined 
to  return  to  her  home  at  Bethlehem.  Her  two  daughters- 
in-law  had  come  to  love  Naomi  and  when  she  began  her 
homeward  journey  they  went  with  her  a  little  way  along 
the  road.  Then  Naomi  kissed  them  both  and  bade  them 
good-by,  telling  them  to  return  to  their  people  and  to  the 
gods  their  people  worshiped.  Both  young  women  said 
that  they  wished  to  go  w^ith  Naomi  but  she  thought  it 
best  for  them  to  go  back  to  their  own  people.  Orpah 
took  Naomi's  advice  and  turned  back,  but  Ruth  pleaded 
still  to  be  permitted  to  go  with  her  mother-in-law.  Hear 
the  noble  words  which  this  Moabite  girl  spoke  to  her 
Hebrew  friend  as  she  clung  to  her :  "  Entreat  me  not  to 


10       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

leave  thee,  and  to  return  from  following  after  thee ;  for 
whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go ;  and  where  thou  lodgest,  I 
will  lodge ;  thy  people  shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God 
my  God ;  where  thou  diest,  will  I  die,  and  there  will  I  be 
buried :  Jehovah  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  aught  but 
death  part  thee  and  me."  So  Naomi  consented  to  let 
Ruth  return  with  her  to  Bethlehem. 

After  they  reached  Bethlehem,  Ruth  went  into  the 
harvest  fields  of  Boaz,  a  relative  of  Naomi's,  and  gathered 
up  the  scattered  heads  of  wheat  and  barley.  At  night  she 
would  thresh  out  what  she  had  gathered  and  take  the 
grain  home  to  her  mother-in-law  and  they  would  make 
bread  of  itj  When  Boaz  saw  Ruth  in  his  fields  with  other 
poor  people  who  had  come  there  to  gather  up  the  scat- 
tered heads  of  grain,  he  asked  who  this  beautiful  young 
girl  was,  and  his  reapers  told  him  the  story  of  how  she 
had  come  back  with  Naomi  and  how  diligently  she 
labored  to  gain  food  for  herself  and  her  mother-in-law. 
The  story  of  how  Boaz  came  to  love  Ruth  and  to  take 
her  as  his  wife  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  Old 
Testament.  God  probably  had  it  put  into  the  Bible  that 
we  might  see  the  kind  of  life  that  was  going  on  all  the 
time  among  the  Hebrews.  In  the  Book  of  Judges  we 
read  of  fierce  fighting  and  in  other  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  we  read  about  kings  and  their  armies,  but 
the  story  of  Ruth  gives  us  a  more  important  kind  of  his- 
tory than  that  which  speaks  only  of  rulers  and  nations 
and  wars.  It  tells  of  the  simple  and  humble  life  of  the 
common  people  where  the  love  of  God  was  kept  secure 
within  the  hearts  of  his  children. 


Thk  Lksson  Prayi:r 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  thank  thee  for  our  homes. 
We  thank  thee  for  relatives  and  friends.  We  thank  thee 
for  all  who  love  us  and  for  those  whom  we  love.  Help  us 
to  do  those  things  which  tend  to  make  our  homes  beauti- 
ful and  happy.  Forgive  us  if  we  have  been  thoughtless 
concerning  the  welfare  and  comfort  of  those  we  love. 
Forgive  us  if  we  have  been  selfish  and  rude  and  have  thus 
marred  the  happiness  of  the  home  circle.     Help  us  to 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       11 

think  of  Jesus,  thy  Son,  as  ever  present  in  our  homes, 
listening  to  all  we  say  and  seeing  all  we  do.  Help  us  to 
say  and  do  the  things  which  will  make  him  glad.  Help 
us  to  do  all  we  can  not  only  to  make  our  own  homes 
beautiful  and  happy,  but  to  help  everyone  else  to  have 
happy  homes,  too.  We  ask  these  things  in  the  name  of 
Jesus,  thy  Son.    Amen. 

Thk  Lksson  Hymn 

O  happy  home  where  thou  art  loved  the  dearest, 
Thou  loving  friend  and  Saviour  of  our  race. 

And  where  among  the  guests  there  never  cometh 
One  who  can  hold  such  high  and  honored  place. 

O  happy  home  whose  little  ones  are  given 

Early  to  thee  in  humble  faith  and  prayer, 
To  thee,  their  Friend,  who  from  the  heights  of  heaven 

Guides  them,  and  guards  with  more  than  mother  care. 

O  happy  home  where  each  one  serves  thee,  lowly. 

Whatever  his  appointed  work  may  be, 
Till  every  common  task  seems  great  and  holy, 

When  it  is  done,  O  Lord,  as  unto  thee! 

"  The  Hymnal  "  (Revised),  No.  676. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

MAKING  THE  HOME  LIFE  BEAUTIFUL 
I  John  3:7-21 

The  home,  the  school,  the  Church,  and  the  nation  are 
called  social  organizations.  All  of  these  organizations 
are  important.  They  all  help  to  educate  boys  and  girls. 
Which  of  them  do  you  think  is  most  important?  We 
know  that  the  home  is  the  most  important  of  all.  The 
influence  of  the  home  begins  before  the  influence  of  any 
of  the  other  social  organizations.  For  a  good  many  years 
of  childhood  the  home  is  almost  the  whole  world  to  us. 

Wdiat  we  learn  in  these  early  years  determines,  to  a 
large  extent,  what  we   are  to  be  as  men  and  women. 


12      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

When  we  study  the  life  of  a  great  man  like  Martin 
Luther,  we  find  that  his  greatness  of  character  is  due 
chiefly  to  the  kind  of  home  he  had.  Luther's  parents 
were  not  wealth}^  His  father  was  a  coal  miner  and  re- 
ceived very  low  Avages,  but  Luther's  home  was  a  happy 
Christian  home.  When  he  was  just  a  little  baby  his 
mother  used  to  rock  him  in  a  big  wooden  cradle  and  sing 
songs  to  him  about  the  Christ-child.  The  following  is 
one  of  the  songs  which  she  sang  to  her  baby  boy: 

O  Jesus,  Master,  meek  and  mild; 

Since  thou  wast  once  a  little  child, 
Wilt  thou  not  give  this  baby  mine 

Thy  grace  and  every  blessing  thine? 
O  Jesus,  Master,  mild, 

Protect  my  Httle  child. 

Now  sleep,  now  sleep,  my  little  child; 

He  loves  thee,  Jesus,  meek  and  mild. 
He'll  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 

He'll  make  thee  wise  and  good  and  great. 
O  Jesus,  Master,  mild. 

Protect  my  little  child.'' 

1  Translation  of  a  German  cradle  song  used  in  the  time  of 
Luther. 

Do  you  wonder  that  Luther  grew  up  to  be  wise  and 
good  and  great  when  he  had  such  a  mother? 

When  Luther  was  a  little  older,  his  mother  taught 
him  the  Lord's  prayer  and  the  Ten  Commandments  and 
other  parts  of  the  Bible.  The  leaders  of  the  Church  in 
that  time  did  not  like  to  have  the  common  people  read  the 
Bible,  but  Luther's  parents  knew  more  about  this  matter 
than  the  Church  leaders  and  they  taught  their  little  boy 
to  know  and  honor  the  Bible  as  God's  Word.  If  it  had 
not  been  for  this  home  training  Luther  might  never  have 
become  the  great  and  good  leader  of  the  Protestant 
Church. 

BlBLK  Vkrsds 

Ex.  20  :12  ;  Col.  3  :20  ;  Eph.  4 :31,  32  ;  John  15  :12  ;  I  John 
4 :7,  8  ;  Jer.  31 :1 ;  Gen,  28  :14 ;  Prov.  4 :1. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       13 

ROVIKW  Qui:sTioNS 

1.  What  nation  controlled   Palestine  at  the  birth  of 
Christ? 

2.  What  kind  of  man  was  Herod? 

3.  What  was  the  Messianic  hope? 

4.  Who  were  the  Pharisees  ? 

5.  What  was  the  work  of  the  scribes? 

6.  Who  were  the  publicans,  and  why  were  they  de- 
spised by  the  Jews? 

7.  Why  did  the  Jews  dislike  the  Samaritans? 

8.  Name  some  Jewish  leaders  who  were  good  people. 

9.  Tell  what  you  can  of  the  home  life  of  the  Hebrews. 

10.  What  are  some  of  the  great  lessons  in  the  story  of 
Ruth  and  Naomi? 

Study  Topics 

(For  individual  reports  and  general  discussion.) 

1.  Life  in  a  Humble  Scottish  Home.  (Read  or  recite 
''  The  Cotter's  Saturday  Night."; 

2.  The  Use  of  Songs  in  the  Home. 

3.  Pictures  Which  Help  to  Make  the  Home  Life 
Bright. 

4.  The  Bible  in  Our  Homes. 

5.  The  Author  of  "  Home  Sweet  Home."  (John 
Ploward  Payne.) 

6.  Things  Which  Boys  and  Girls  Can  Do  to  Help 
Make  Home  Life  Happy. 

The  Law  o^  the  Home 

We  know  that  a  good  home  is  one  of  the  greatest  bless- 
ings of  life.    Theretore : 

1.  We  will  try  to  appreciate  the  blessings  of  home 
and  be  thankful  for  them. 

2.  We  will  strive  to  make  our  homes  beautiful  and 
glad  by  being  obedient  to  the  commandments  of  parents 
or  others  in  authority  in  the  home,  thoughtful  for  the 
comfort  and  welfare  of  others,  and  diligent  in  all  home 
duties. 


14      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

3.  We  will  try  to  help  others  to  have  homes  that  are 
beautiful  and  happy. 

(Pupils  should  make  an  earnest  effort  to  carry  out 
this  law  and  they  may  be  asked  to  hand  in  at  the  next 
meeting  written  reports  concerning  how  they  have 
helped  to  make  home  life  beautiful.) 


CHAPTER  II 

THE  BIRTH  AND  INFANCY  OF  JESUS 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

WONDERFUL  EVENTS  CONNECTED  WITH  THE 
BIRTH   OF  JESUS 

Luke  1:5-23,  26-38;  2:1-39;  Matt.,  ch.  2 

The  coming  of  God's  Son  to  be  the  Saviour  of  the 
world  was  a  wonderful  event  and  we  need  not  be  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  many  unusual  things  happened  at 
that  time.  It  would  have  been  strange,  indeed,  if  noth- 
ing unusual  had  accompanied  the  coming  of  such  a  per- 
son as  Jesus  proved  to  be.  When  we  really  believe  that 
Jesus  is  God's  Son,  we  do  not  find  it  hard  to  believe  that 
he  did  many  wonderful  things  and  that  wonderful  events 
occurred  at  the  time  of  his  birth. 

Heavenly  Messengers.  Luke  1 :5-23.  There  was  an 
aged  priest  who,  with  his  wife  Elizabeth,  lived  in  one  of 
the  villages  of  Judea.  The  name  of  this  priest  was 
Zacharias  and  both  he  and  Elizabeth  were  "  righteous  be- 
fore God,  walking  in  all  the  commandments  and  ordi- 
nances of  the  Lord  blameless."  Most  of  the  priests  were 
proud  and  selfish  men  caring  nothing  for  the  spiritual 
welfare  of  the  people  and  using  their  sacred  office  to 
make  themselves  wealthy.  It  is  good  to  know  that  there 
were  some  of  the  priests  who  were  righteous  and  true. 

One  day  it  was  Zacharias'  turn  to  offer  sacrifices  in  the 
Temple  at  Jerusalem.  There  were  so  many  priests,  and 
the  sacrifices  were  so  seldom  offered  to  God  in  the  Holy 
Place  of  the  Temple,  that  it  is  probable  that  any  one 
priest^  had  the  opportunity  to  make  the  offering  but  once 
or  twice  in  his  life.  So  it  must  have  been  a  great  day  for 
Zacharias,  the  village  priest,  when  his  turn  came  to  offer 
the  sacrifices  in  the  Holy  Place.  Entering  alone,  he 
scattered   incense   on   the   fire   burning   upon   the   altar. 

IS 


16      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

In  the  court  outside  the  Holy  Place  the  multitudes  stood 
praying  at  this  hour  of  incense.  All  at  once  Zacharias 
saw  an  angel  standing  on  the  right  side  of  the  altar.  He 
was  troubled  and  filled  with  fear  at  the  sight  of  the 
heavenly  visitor,  but  the  angel  spoke  kindly  to  him,  tell- 
ing him  not  to  be  afraid.  He  told  Zacharias  that  his 
prayers  were  heard  and  that  he  should  have  a  son  who 
should  be  named  John.  Probably  Zacharias  had  been 
praying  for  years  that  a  son  might  be  given  him,  just  as 
Abraham  prayed  for  a  like  blessing.  The  angel  told 
Zacharias  that  this  son  should  be  a  great  man  and  that 
his  life  work  would  be  to  prepare  for  the  coming  of  the 
world's  Saviour.  Zacharias  could  not  believe  that  the 
angel's  words  would  come  true  and  he  was  punished  for 
his  unbelief  by  becoming  dumb  for  a  season.  In  due  time 
a  baby  boy  came  into  the  home  of  Zacharias  and  they 
called  his  name  John.  In  another  lesson  we  shall  learn 
of  the  wonderful  man  who  prepared  the  way  for  the 
ministry  of  Jesus  and  who  was  none  other  than  this  little 
son  of  Zacharias  and  Elizabeth  grown  to  manhood. 

Not  long  after  this,  the  same  angel  appeared  to  Mary 
who  was  to  become  the  mother  of  Jesus.  He  told  her 
that  a  child  should  be  given  to  her  and  that  he  should  be 
called  "  the  Son  of  the  Most  High,"  that  God  would  "  give 
unto  him  the  throne  of  his  father  David,"  and  that  he 
should  *'  reign  over  the  house  of  Jacob  for  ever." 

Not  long  after  this,  the  same  angel  appeared  to  Mary, 
was  in  Nazareth,  a  town  on  the  hills  of  Galilee.  She  was 
living  in  Nazareth  when  a  decree  was  sent  out  from 
Augustus  Caesar,  the  emperor  of  Rome,  ordering  that  all 
the  world  should  be  enrolled,  that  is,  that  a  kind  of  census 
should  be  taken.  Mary  and  Joseph  could  not  be  enrolled 
in  Nazareth,  but  had  to  make  the  long  trip  to  Bethlehem 
where  their  ancestors  had  lived.  So  Joseph  and  Mary 
prepared  for  the  journey.  The  night  they  reached  Beth- 
lehem they  found  the  inn  full  of  people.  Many  besides 
Joseph  and  Mary  had  come  to  Bethlehem  for  the  census. 
The  rooms  were  all  taken.  No  one  in  all  the  crowd  of- 
fered to  give  up  his  place  to  the  tired  little  woman  who 
had  come  all  the  way  from  Galilee.  Joseph  got  the 
keeper  of  the  inn  to  let  him  go  into  the  stable  for  the 


1 


Copyright  by  Harold  Copping. 

THE  SHEPHERDS  OF  BETHLEHEM 


INTERArEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       17 

night.  And  there  in  the  stable,  in  the  midst  of  the  sheep 
and  the  cattle,  Jesus  was  born.  Mary  and  Joseph  found 
a  manger,  a  kind  of  feed  box  for  the  animals  of  the 
stable,  and  they  used  this  as  a  cradle  for  the  little  babe 
who  had  come  to  them  and  to  the  world. 

Silent  night!  Holy  night! 
All  is  calm,  all  is  bright; 

Round  yon  virgin  mother  and  Child! 
Holy  Infant,  tender  and  mild, 

Sleep  in  heavenly  peace, 

Sleep  in  heavenly  peace. 

The  Angels  and  the  Shepherds.  Luke  2  :8-20.  Out  in 
the  fields  near  Bethlehem,  shepherds  were  watching  their 
flocks.  Suddenly  an  angel  stood  by  them  and  said  to 
them,  ''  Be  not  afraid  ;  for  behold,  I  bring  you  good  tid- 
ings of  great  joy  which  shall  be  to  all  the  people :  for 
there  is  born  to  you  this  day  in  the  city  of  David  a 
Saviour,  who  is  Christ  the  Lord.  And  this  is  the  sign 
unto  you :  Ye  shall  find  a  babe  wrapped  in  swaddling 
clothes  and  lying  in  a  manger."  Then  there  was  all  at 
once  a  great  multitude  of  the  heavenly  host  with  the 
angel  and  they  sang,  saying, 

"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest, 
And  on  earth  peace  among  men  in  whom 
he  is  well  pleased." 

After  the  angels  went  away,  the  shepherds  came  and 
found  Mary  and  Joseph  and  the  babe  in  the  manger,  and 
they  went  out  and  told  their  friends  of  the  wonderful 
things  they  had  witnessed  that  night. 

Silent  night!  Holy  night!  _ 
Shepherds  quake  at  the  sight! 

Glories  stream  from  heaven  afar, 
Heavenly  hosts  sing  Alleluia. 

Christ,  the  Saviour,  is  born! 

Christ,  the  Saviour,  is  born! 

The  Wise  Men  and  the  Star.  Matt.  2  :1-12.  The  Mes- 
sianic  hope   had   spread   far  beyond   the   boundaries   of 


18      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Palestine.  Wherever  the  Jews  had  gone,  as  captives  or 
for  purposes  of  trade,  they  had  carried  with  them  the 
great  hope  of  their  race.  Gradually  people  of  other  na- 
tions learned  that  the  Jews  were  expecting  a  Deliverer 
and  some  of  these  Gentile  peoples,  being  in  like  bondage 
with  the  Jews,  learned  to  share  in  the  Messianic  hope. 
Possibly  some  of  these  reports  of  a  coming  "  King  of  the 
Jews  "  had  reached  into  the  distant  East  and  found  their 
way  to  those  mysterious  visitors  who  came  to  Jerusalem 
saying,  '*  Where  is  he  that  is  born  King  of  the  Jews?  for 
we  saw  his  star  in  the  east,  and  are  come  to  worship 
him." 

How  did  the  Wise  Men  know  that  the  time  had  come 
for  the  King  to  be  born?  They  said  they  saw  his  star  in 
the  east,  but  how  did  they  know  what  the  star  meant? 
These  are  questions  which  we  may  not  all  answer  alike 
and  none  of  us  may  be  able  to  answer  them  correctly. 
It  seems,  however,  that  since  Jesus  was  to  be  the  Saviour 
of  the  whole  world,  God  let  the  Gentile  nations  know  that 
his  Son  was  about  to  come.  The  coming  of  these  Wise 
Men  may  have  been  a  kind  of  sign  of  the  time  when  all 
the  people  of  the  earth  will  come  to  accept  Jesus  as  Lord 
and  King  and  bring  rheir  choicest  offerings  to  his  feet. 

The  Flight  into  Egypt.  Matt.  2:13-23.  When  the 
Wise  Men  went  back  into  their  own  land  by  another 
road  than  that  which  led  through  Jerusalem,  Herod 
was  "  exceeding  wroth.''  The  men  of  the  East  were  gone 
beyond  his  grasp,  but  he  determined  to  make  sure  of  the 
young  King  of  the  Jews.  He  ordered  a  company  of 
soldiers  to  visit  Bethlehem,  telling  them  to  destroy  all 
the  male  children  **  from  two  years  old  and  under."  But 
God  had  sent  a  warning  to  Joseph  and  already  the  little 
family  was  far  on  its  way  toward  Egypt.  So  it  came  to 
pass  that  the  infant  Saviour  sojourned  for  a  time  in  the 
ancient  lands  beside  the  river  Nile. 

One  night  an  angel  appeared  in  a  dream  to  Joseph  and 
with  majestic  simplicity  said  to  him,  **  Arise  and  take  the 
young  child  and  his  mother,  and  go  into  the  land  of 
Israel :  for  they  are  dead  that  sought  the  young  child's 
life."  That  monstrous  Herod,  man  of  iniquity  and  power, 
was  dead.     He  had  sought  the  life  of  Jesus,  sought  to 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       19 

defeat  God's  plans,  and  now  he  was  still,  cold,  and 
powerless  forever.  They  who  set  themselves  against 
the  plans  of  God  may  seem  to  prosper  in  their  designs 
for  a  little  season,  but  in  the  end  they  are  always  like 
Herod. 

Coming  back  into  the  land  of  Israel,  Joseph  heard  that 
Herod's  son,  Archclaus,  had  taken  his  father's  throne 
and  he  was  afraid  to  go  into  Judea.  So  he  went  back  to 
the  old  home  at  Nazareth  and  there  Jesus  grew  to  man- 
hood. 

The  Presentation  in  the  Temple.  Luke  2  :22-39.  There 
is  one  other  incident  in  the  infancy  of  Jesus  which  must 
have  occurred  some  time  before  the  flight  of  Joseph  and 
his  family  into  Egypt.  God  had  given  the  Hebrews  a 
law  requiring  parents  to  dedicate  their  first-born  son  to 
him.  So  the  little  babe  was  brought  into  the  Temple  and 
there  presented  to  Jehovah  with  solemn  sacrifices.  The 
regular  ofifering  Avas  a  lamb,  but  if  the  family  were  poor, 
a  pair  of  turtledoves,  or  two  young  pigeons,  might  be 
brought  instead  of  the  lamb.  Joseph  and  Mary  brought 
Jesus  to  the  Temple  to  dedicate  him  to  God  and  ofifered 
not  the  lamb,  but  the  other  sacrifice,  so  that  we  know 
that  the  family  must  have  been  poor. 

There  was  in  the  Temple  a  very  old  man  named 
Simeon.  We  are  told  that  he  was  *'  righteous  and  devout, 
looking  for  the  consolation  of  Israel :  and  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  upon  him."  This  old  man  had  been  praying  that  he 
might  not  die  before  he  should  see  the  Saviour  of  the 
world.  When  he  saw  the  infant  in  Mary's  arms,  he 
knew  that  the  child  was  to  be  the  Redeemer  for  whom  he 
had  been  praying  and  waiting.  He  took  Jesus  out  of 
Mary's  arms  and  then  he  burst  forth  into  a  wonderful 
psalm  of  praise  which  you  may  read  in  the  second  chapter 
of  Luke. 

There  was  also  a  very  old  woman  named  Anna  who 
likewise  on  seeing  Jesus  believed  that  he  was  the  Messiah 
for  whom  the  people  were  waiting.  She  "  spake  of  him 
to  all  them  that  were  looking  for  the  redemption  of  Jeru- 
salem." Thus  we  see  that  God  gave  earnest-hearted 
people  the  power  to  recognize  Jesus  as  the  Saviour  of 
the  world  even  when  Jesus  was  only  a  little  babe. 


20      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Note:book  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook :  Repose  in  Egypt, 
by  Merson  (625  Perry,  Page  90,  Bailey)  ;  Holy  Night, 
by  Correggio  (367  Perry,  Page  23,  Stuart,  Page  63. 
Bailey)  ;  Sistine  Madonna,  by  Raphael  (321  Perry,  Page 
35,  Stuart). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

GOD'S  MESSAGE  IN  THE  CHRIST-CHILD 

Heb.,  ch.  1 

Our  Scripture  lesson  tells  us  that  God's  final  and  full 
revelation  is  through  his  Son.  God  spoke  in  Old  Testa- 
ment times  through  the  prophets  and  his  message  was 
"  by  divers  portions  and  in  divers  manners ;"  that  is,  God 
was  able,  in  different  ways,  and  to  a  certain  extent,  to 
speak  to  people  through  such  great  men  as  Moses,  Isaiah, 
and  Jeremiah.  Through  Jesus  his  Son,  however,  God  is 
able  to  speak  a  complete  message  concerning  himself. 
The  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  has  some 
wonderful  statements  concerning  Jesus.  Jesus  is  God's 
Son ;  he  is  ''  heir  of  all  things ;"  he  is  the  Creator  of  the 
world ;  he  is  *'  the  effulgence "  of  the  Father's  glory. 
The  last  statement  is  a  beautiful  figure  of  speech.  Did 
you  ever  see  the  sun  bursting  through  the  clouds  and 
brightening  all  the  sky  above  and  all  the  earth  below 
with  a  flood  of  light?  Perhaps  the  sun  was  so  dazzlingly 
bright  that  your  eyes  could  not  bear  to  gaze  upon  it,  but 
its  wonderful  light  made  all  nature  beautiful,  and  helped 
you  to  understand  the  power  and  majesty  of  that  great 
light  which  God  made  to  rule  the  day.  So  Jesus  is  the 
effulgence,  the  shining-  forth,  of  God's  glory. 

There  is  another  fine  figure  of  speech  in  the  author's 
statement  that  Jesus  is  the  ''  very  image  "  of  God's  sub- 
stance. If  3^ou  have  ever  seen  one  of  our  great  printing 
presses  you  know  that  it  is  very  hard  to  read  the  material 
which  is  set  up  in  type.  All  the  material  of  the  paper,  or 
book,  to  be  printed  is  there  in  the  type  of  the  press,  but 


1XT1-:RMJCDIATK  church   school  lessons       21 

it  is  all  in  brij^ht  metal  and  the  letters  do  not  stand  out 
clearly.  Moreover,  the  lines  read  backwards.  So  you 
would  find  it  a  difficult  and  slow  process  to  spell  out  a 
few  words  from  the  type  of  the  printing  press.  But  let 
the  great  press  make  one  revolution  and  it  throws  out  a 
paper,  or  the  page  of  a  book,  and  then  the  printing  stands 
out  clearly  upon  the  white  paper.  You  can  read  it  with 
ease.  The  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  meant 
that  Jesus  was  a  revelation  of  God  in  just  that  way.  In 
him  we  read  God's  messages  about  himself  and  about  all 
that  is  true.  The  author  of  this  epistle  had  never  seen  a 
printing  press,  but  he  had  seen  something  somewhat 
like  it.  He  had  seen  signet  rings  used  in  sealing  letters. 
These  rings  contained  the  initials  of  the  owner  of  the 
ring,  or  sometimes  his  likeness  cut  into  the  stone  or  metal 
of  the  ring.  When  pressed  down  upon  the  wax  with 
which  a  letter  was  sealed,  the  signet  left  a  perfect  im- 
pression of  itself.     So  Jesus  is  the  "  very  image  "  of  God. 

The  whole  life  of  Jesus  was  a  message  from  God.  It 
was  not  only  as  a  man  preaching  and  teaching  and  heal- 
ing that  he  revealed  God  to  men.  He  revealed  God  w^hen 
he  lay  as  a  little  babe  in  the  manger  at  Bethlehem.  What 
were  God's  messages  in  the  Christ-child?  What  did  God 
say  to  the  world  through  the  coming  of  his  Son  as  a 
child?    These  are  the  questions  we  wish  to  consider. 

The  Sacredness  of  Childhood.  We  believe  that, 
through  sending  his  Son  to  the  Avorld  as  a  little  child, 
God  wished  to  teach  all  mankind  that  a  child  is  the  most 
precious  thing  in  all  the  universe.  People  had  not 
learned  this  lesson  before  Jesus  came.  Under  the  Roman 
law,  fathers  and  mothers  had  a  right  to  get  rid  of  their 
children  if  they  did  not  wish  to  be  bothered  with  raising 
them.  These  unAvelcome  little  ones  were  taken  out  to 
some  lonely  place  and  left  there  to  die  of  cold  and  starva- 
tion. Such  a  thing  seems  very  terrible  to  you,  because 
the  teaching  of  Jesus  has  changed  this  cruel  practice  in 
all  families  which  are  Christian.  There  was  widespread 
poverty  and  distress  when  Jesus  came.  Little  children 
sufifered  more  than  others  from  these  hardships.  God 
sent  his  Son  to  save  the  little  ones  of  the  world.  Jesus 
said  as  much  in  a  beautiful  little  story  about  a  lost  sheep : 


22      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

"  How  think  ye?  if  any  man  have  a  hundred  sheep,  and  one  of 
them  be  gone  astray,  doth  he  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine,  and 
go  unto  the  mountains,  and  seek  that  which  goeth  astray?  And 
if  so  be  that  he  find  it,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  rejoiceth  over  it 
more  than  over  the  ninety  and  nine  which  have  not  gone  astray. 
Even 'so  it  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven,  that 
one  of  these  little  ones  should  perish." — Matt.  18:12-14. 

As  we  Study  the  life  of  Jesus  we  shall  see  that  he  was 
the  Friend  and  Defender  of  children.  When  the  disciples 
rebuked  those  who  were  bringing  little  children  to  him 
he  rebuked  the  disciples  and  said,  "  Sniffer  the  little  chil- 
dren, and  forbid  them  not,  to  come  unto  me :  for  to  such 
belongeth  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  He  solemnly  warned 
his  disciples  against  committing  any  sin  against  child- 
hood. He  told  them  that  it  would  be  better  for  a  man 
to  have  a  great  millstone  tied  about  his  neck  and  to  be 
cast  thus  into  the  depths  of  the  sea  than  for  him  to  cause 
a  little  child  to  stumble.  He  told  them  that  children  are 
so  precious  that  in  heaven  there  are  angels  who  keep 
watch  over  the  children  of  earth  and  that  these  angels  are 
charged  with  such  an  important  task  that  they  stand 
ever  before  the  presence  of  God. 

The  Beauty  of  Motherhood.  God  could  have  sent  his 
Son  to  earth  as  a  full-grown  man,  as  a  mighty  king.  He 
could  have  sent  him  as  a  bright  and  deathless  angel.  He 
sent  him  to  be  born  as  other  children  are  born,  to  have 
a  human  mother.  By  sending  his  Son  to  be  born  of  a 
woman  God  honored,  not  only  Mary,  but  all  true  mothers 
everywhere.  The  birth  of  Jesus  was  a  message  from 
God  proclaiming  that  motherhood  is  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  and  most  holy  of^ces  in  all  the  world.  God 
sent  his  Son  to  save  the  mothers  of  the  world.  You 
can  tell  whether  any  country  has  heard  and  heeded  God's 
message  by  the  way  it  treats  its  women.  In  India  women 
are  given  no  education.  The}^  are  like  slaves,  for  most  of 
them  must  labor  hard  all  their  lives  and  live  on  the  scraps 
of  food  which  are  left  after  others  have  eaten.  The  same 
is  true  of  practically  every  country  where  Jesus  is  not 
known  and  honored.  But  the  more  a  country  knows 
about  the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus,  the  more  is  woman 
honored  and  made  the  companion  and  helper  of  man. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      2Z 

Universal  Brotherhood.  Jesus  was  born  in  lowliness 
and  poverty.  His  lot  was  cast  among  the  great  masses 
of  mankind  who  must  toil  continually  for  their  daily 
bread.  He  might  have  been  born  among  the  classes  who 
have  become  separated  from  the  rest  of  mankind  through 
the  attainment  of  wealth,  learning,  or  social  position  ;  but 
God  sent  his  Son  among  the  multitudes  of  the  common 
people.  God's  angels  bore  the  message  concerning  his 
birth,  not  to  the  officers  of  the  state,  nor  to  the  schools 
of  the  rabbis  in  Jerusalem,  but  to  lowly  shepherds  keep- 
ing watch  over  their  flocks  by  night  under  the  open  sky. 
Jesus  grew  up  among  humble  people  who  labored  with 
their  hands.  He  himself  learned  the  trade  of  a  carpen- 
ter. 

Does  it  not  seem  to  you  that  God  was  speaking  to  the 
world  through  the  life  of  Jesus,  telling  us  that  we  are  all 
members  of  one  great  family?  It  is  a  good  thing  to 
have  wealth  if  we  use  it  to  honor  God  and  to  help  people 
in  need.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  have  an  education  if  we  use 
our  knowledge  unselfishty.  But  neither  wealth  nor  edu- 
cation is  of  much  value  if  the  possession  of  these  things 
makes  us  proud  and  causes  us  to  lose  our  fellowship  with 
others  not  so  fortunate. 

Infinite  Love.  The  word  "  infinite  "  means  that  which 
cannot  be  measured,  that  to  which  we  can  set  no  bound- 
aries. The  coming  of  God's  Son  was  a  message  concern- 
ing the  infinite  love  of  God.  The  birth  of  Jesus  shows  us 
that  God's  love  is  boundless.  "  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  on  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life." 
\\nien  we  send  gifts  to  our  friends,  we  show  our  love  by 
our  gifts.  If  we  love  anyone  a  great  deal,  we  are 
willing  to  give  gifts  of  great  value  when  the  person 
loved  needs  such  a  gift  from  us.  Sometimes  people  have 
loved  their  friends  so  much  that  they  were  willing  to  give 
their  lives  to  save  their  friends.  Jesus  once  said, 
"  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay 
down  his  life  for  his  friends."  But  God's  love  is  greater 
than  any  man's  love  can  be.  Can  you  think  what  it 
meant  for  God  to  give  his  Son ;  to  give  him  as  a  babe 
born  in  a  stable;  to  give  him  to  be  crucified? 


24      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

A  MoTiiKR  AND  CiiiivD  Who  Wkri^  Lost  in  the:  Snow 

Some  years  ago  a  railway  train  was  speeding  across  the 
level  prairies  of  North  Dakota.  A  great  blizzard  was 
raging  across  the  plains  and  the  driving  snow  shut  out 
all  the  landscape  from  the  view  of  the  people  on  the 
train.  Near  the  door  of  one  of  the  cars  sat  a  little  woman 
with  a  child  about  three  years  old.  Her  husband  was 
waiting  with  a  sleigh  at  a  station  some  miles  farther 
along  the  track  and  the  woman  was  anxiously  trying  to 
catch  sight  of  the  home  station  through  the  storm. 

The  train  began  to  slow  down  and  came  to  a  stand- 
still. The  woman  hurried  with  her  baby  through  the 
door  of  the  car,  letting  in  a  gust  of  wind  and  a  cloud  of 
powdery  snow  as  she  went  out.  Then  the  train  moved 
on  again. 

Soon  the  conductor  came  in  and  noticed  her  absence. 
He  asked  where  she  had  gone,  and  some  of  the  pas- 
sengers told  him  that  she  got  off  when  the  train  stopped. 

"She  got  off!"  cried  the  conductor.  "Why  that  was 
not  the  station  !  That  was  only  a  sidetrack  and  there  is  no 
house  within  a  dozen  miles  of  where  the  train  stopped. 
She  will  be  frozen  to  death  in  such  a  storm  as  this  be- 
fore she  has  walked  half  a  mile." 

Seizing  the  bell  cord  the  conductor  signaled  to  the 
engineer  to  stop  the  train.  Then  the  train  was  backed  to 
the  place  where  the  stop  had  been  made. 

Brave  men  buttoned  their  overcoats  about  them  and 
plunged  into  the  storm.  They  risked  their  lives  to  save 
a  woman  and  a  child  whom  they  had  never  seen  before 
that  day.  They  spread  out  over  the  prairie,  calling  to 
one  another  so  that  no  one  would  get  lost  and  perish  in 
the  snow.  The  engineer  sounded  the  whistle  to  let  the 
rescuers  know  where  the  train  was.  And  so  they 
searched  until  they  found  the  mother  and  child  and 
brought  them  to  the  train  where  they  were  nursed  back 
to  life  again. 

Such  an  incident  could  hardly  happen  in  any  other  than 
a  Christian  land.     Can  you  tell  why? 


INTKRAIHDIATK  CHURCH  SCHOCJL  LESSONS       25 

The;  Lksson  Prayer 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  thank  thee  for  the  messages 
which  thou  didst  give  to  the  world  through  Jesus,  tliy 
Son,  when  he  was  a  little  child.  Jlelp  us  to  understand 
these  messages  and  to  live  in  obedience  to  the  truths  they 
contain.  Forgive  us  if  we  have  been  narrow  in  our  sym- 
pathies and  have  been  thoughtless  concerning  those  who 
are  our  brothers  and  sisters  in  thy  great  family.  Give  us 
the  spirit  of  love  and  kindness  toward  all.  Make  us  like 
Jesus  thy  Son  in  patience,  unselfishness,  and  self-control. 
We  ask  in  his  name.     Amen. 

Tiir^  Lesson  Hymn 

It  came  upon  the  midnight  clear, 

That  glorious  song  of  old, 
From  angels  bending  near  the  earth 

To  touch  their  harps  of  gold: 
"  Peace  on  the  earth,  good  will  to  men. 

From  heaven's  all-gracious   King:" 
The  world  in  solemn  stillness  lay. 

To  hear  the  angels  sing. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  177. 

See  "  The  Story  of  the  Hymns  and  Tunes,"  by  Brown  and 
Butterworth,   page  466. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

OUR  DUTIES  TO  THOSE  WHO  ARE  YOUNGER  THAN 
OURSELVES 

Matt.  18:1-1-1 

Practically  all  the  truly  great  people  of  the  world  have 
had  a  marked  love  for  children.  If  a  boy  of  twelve  years 
old  or  so  is  kind  to  young  children  and  loves  them,  it  is 
a  good  sign  that  he  will  grow  up  to  be  a  noble  and  great- 
souled  man.  He  has  already  in  his  character'one  of  the 
most  manly  of  all  traits  and  it  is  only  reasonable  to  be- 
lieve that  this  desirable  quality  will  increase  from  year 
to  year.  Such  a  boy  shows  that  he  has  a  high  sense  of 
honor.     He  feels  a  kindly  interest  in  those   who  are  not 


26       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

so  strong  and  not  so  wise  as  himself.  But  beware  of  the 
boy  who  is  mean  to  little  children.  It  is  hard  to  see 
what  good  there  can  be  in  such  a  boy.  He  must  be  a 
coward  or  he  would  not  be  unkind  to  those  who  are 
younger  and  weaker  than  himself.  He  has  in  him  the 
spirit  of  the  tyrant  and  the  heart  of  a  ruffian  if  he  finds 
pleasure  in  causing  his  young  companions  pain  and  dis- 
comfort. Such  a  boy  needs  to  learn  the  spirit  of  the 
Golden  Rule :  "  All  things  therefore  whatsoever  ye 
would  that  men  should  do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also 
unto  them." 

What  is  said  of  boys  is  equally  true  of  girls.  The  girl 
of  twelve  who  loves  babies  and  all  children  who  are 
younger  than  herself  has  a  quality  that  makes  woman- 
hood noble.  It  shows  that  she  is  not  selfish,  when  she 
finds  her  own  happiness  in  making  those  who  are  younger 
than  herself  happy.  Such  a  girl  has  already  some  of  the 
qualities  which  make  motherhood  honored  in  all  the 
Christian  lands  of  the  world. 

BiBLIv  Vdrses 

Acts  20:35;  I  Cor.  1:26,  27;  Matt.  21:16;  11:25,  26; 
Rom.  12:10;  Matt.  19:13-15;  John  21:15. 

Review  Questions 

1.  How  did  Jesus  happen  to  be  born  in  Bethlehem? 

2.  What  visits  from  angels  occurred  at  about  the 
time  of  Jesus'  birth? 

3.  Who  were  the  AVise  Men  and  what  do  you  think 
their  visit  shows? 

4.  How  did  God  save  Jesus  from  Herod's  plots? 

5.  Why  was  Jesus  brought  into  the  Temple  as  a  babe? 

6.  What  happened  on  the  day  when  the  infant  Jesus 
was  brought  to  the  Temple? 

7.  Name  one  great  painting  which  is  a  picture  of  the 
infant  Jesus. 

8.  In  what  ways  had  God  revealed  his  truth  to  men 
before  he  sent  his  Son? 

9.  Tell  some  of  the  things  which  the  author  of  The 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  says  of  Jesus. 


INTERMHDIATIC  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       27 

10.     What  messages  did  God  give  the  world  through 
the  Christ-child? 

Study  Topics 

1.  Child  Life  in  India. 

2.  Child  Life  in  China. 


4.     What  the  Foreign  Missionaries  Are  Doing  for  Chil- 


3.     Child  Life  in  Africa 
4. 
dren. 

5.  What  Sunday-School  Missionaries  Do  for  the  Chil- 
dren of  the  Mountains  and  Prairies. 

6.  A  Visit  to  the  Children's  W^ard  of  a  Hospital. 

7.  Infant  Mortality  in  Our  Own  and  Other  Lands, 
and  How  the  Lives  of  Children  May  Be  Saved. 

8.  What  the  Prohibition  of  the  Liquor  Trafific  Has 
Done  for  Children. 

9.  Little  Children  of  our  Community :  Have  They 
Playgrounds?  AA'hat  Can  We  Do  to  Make  Their  Lives 
Safe  and  Happy? 

10.  PIoAV  Boys  and  Girls  Can  Plelp  Those  Younger 
Than  Themselves. 

Thk  Law  of  Kindni-ss  and  Hei.pfulnj:ss  to  Those: 
YouNGKR  Than  Oursi-lvfs 

To  be  helpful  and  kind  to  those  who  are  younger  than 
ourselves  is  both  a  duty  and  an  opportunity.    Therefore: 

1.  Wq  will  try  to  be  kind  and  helpful  to  the  little 
brothers  and  sisters  in  our  ow^n  homes,  if  God  has  given 
us  the  blessing  of  their  presence. 

2.  We  will  try  to  be  kind  and  helpful  to  our  little 
brothers  and  sisters  of  the  community  and  will  treat 
them  as  members  of  this  larger  family 

3.  We  will  try  to  be  kind  and  helpful  to  our  little 
brothers  and  sisters  of  other  lands,  of  whatever  race  or 
color  they  may  be,  and  will  consider  them  as  members 
with  us  in  the  great  family  of  God. 

(Reports  next  week  on  What  I  Have  Done  to  Help 
Those  Younger  Than  Myself.) 


CHAPTER  III 

THE  YEARS  AT  NAZARETH 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  PERFECT  CHILDHOOD 
Matt.  2  :33  ;  Luke  2  :39,  40,  51,  52 

There  are  only  a  few  verses  in  the  New  Testament 
which  tell  us  about  the  childhood  and  youth  of  Jesus. 
The  Bible,  however,  has  a  way  of  giving  a  great  deal  of 
information  in  a  few  words,  and  when  we  come  to  study 
the  statements  in  the  Gospels  which  speak  of  the  child- 
hood of  Jesus  we  find  that  they  contain  the  facts  which 
we  most  need  to  know.  We  can  also  understand  a  good 
deal  of  what  the  early  life  of  Jesus  must  have  been  by 
learning  about  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people  of 
Palestine  in  the  days  of  Jesus.  We  can  learn  what  the 
boyhood  life  of  Jesus  probably  was  by  coming  to  know 
the  facts  about  the  country  where  he  spent  the  days  of 
his  childhood. 

The  Town  Where  Jesus  Lived  for  Nearly  Thirty 
Years.  The  boyhood  home  of  Jesus  was  at  Nazareth  in 
Galilee.  Nazareth  is  to-day  a  town  of  some  seven  thou- 
sand people  and  it  was  probably  about  the  same  size  in 
the  days  of  Jesus.  The  tow^n  lies  on  the  side  of  a  hill 
which  rises  more  than  sixteen  hundred  feet  above  the 
sea  and  nearly  a  thousand  feet  above  the  Plain  of 
Esdraelon  which  is  spread  at  its  feet.  From  the  top  of 
this  great  hill  just  back  of  his  home  town,  we  may  be- 
lieve that  Jesus  often  looked  away  w^estward  to  where  the 
blue  waters  of  the  Mediterranean  lay  sparkling  in  the 
morning  sunlight.  There  he  would  have  seen  white- 
sailed  ships  bearing  the  commerce  of  the  nations  to  the 
distant  lands  lying  behind  the  western  horizorf. 

28 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  TJ'.SSONvS       29 

From  the  hilltop,  too,  he  would  have  looked  down  on 
some  of  the  great  caravan  routes  which  lead  from  the 
valley  of  the  Euphrates  into  Egypt.  Along  these  roads 
in  the  days  of  Jesus  long  lines  of  camels  made  their 
way  bearing  the  merchandise  of  the  East  to  the  valley 
of  the  Nile  and  the  products  of  Egypt  to  the  valley  of 
the  Euphrates.  Dusty  bands  of  Roman  soldiers  passed 
along  that  road.  They  were  returning  from  campaigns 
along  distant  frontiers,  or  were  outward  bound  tocjuiet 
some  uprising  in  the  rebellious  cities  of  the  East. 

Nazareth  has  flat-topped  whitewashed  houses  to-day 
and  the  walls  of  many  of  these  dwellings  are  clad  with 
vines.  There  are  vineyards  and  olive  groves  on  the 
slopes  of  the  hill.  In  these  respects  the  town  is  proba- 
bly much  the  same  as  it  was  in  the  boyhood  days  of 
Jesus.  At  one  point  in  the  town  a  splendid  spring  bursts 
forth  and  supplies  water  for  all  the  people  of  the  com- 
munity. This  spring  is  called  to-day  "  The  Fountain  of 
the  Virgin."  Jesus  was  doubtless  often  there,  as  a  child, 
with  Mary  his  mother. 

Over  the  Nazareth  hills  there  is  spread,  in  spring  and 
early  summer,  a  mantle  of  waving  grass  sprinkled  every- 
where with  wild  flowers  in  great  variety  and  profusion. 
In  this  hill  country  multitudes  of  birds  still  make  their 
homes,  as  they  doubtless  did  in  the  days  of  Jesus.  In 
the  lonely  gorges  ravens  make  their  nests  upon  the  cliffs 
and  you  can  often  see  them  pursuing  their  solitary  way 
across  the  sky  in  the  evening  as  they  go  croaking  home 
to  their  young  ones.  Sometimes  a  lammergeier,  greatest 
of  the  vulture  tribe,  comes  soaring  down  from  the  snow- 
capped peaks  of  Mount  Hermon.  He  is  a  mile  above  the 
earth,  but  with  his  wonderful  eyes  he  is  searching  every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  plain  for  the  carcass  of  some 
animal  which  will  give     him  daily  food. 

As  the  boy  Jesus  gathered  lilies  on  the  hills,  he  ad- 
mired their  beautiful  colors  and  their  grace  of  form  and 
he  thought  of  the  Jehovah  God  who  had  given  them  a 
glory  greater  than  that  of  Solomon.  The  ravens  crossing 
the  evening  sky  also  made  him  think  of  the  great  Father 
who  cares  for  even  the  birds  of  the  wilderness. 

The  hills  and  valleys  stretching  away  from   his  hill- 


30      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

built  home  would  have  another  charm  for  the  Nazareth 
boy.  There  was  hardly  a  mountain,  valley  or  stream 
visible  from  the  Nazareth  hill  which  did  not  suggest 
some  hero  tale  connected  with  the  history  of  the  chosen 
people.  There  was  the  long,  bush-clad  ridge  of  Carmel 
where  Elijah  called  down  fire  from  heaven  and  discom- 
fited the  prophets  of  Baal.  In  the  opposite  direction  was 
Mount  Gilboa  where  Saul  and  his  sons  fell  fighting  with 
the  Philistines.  There  was  the  widespread  Plain  of 
Jezreel  over  which  so  many  Jewish  armies  had  pursued 
the  fleeing  foe,  or  fled  before  the  enemy. 

The  School  Which  Jesus  Attended.  There  was  a 
school  connected  with  practically  every  synagogue  and 
we  may  be  sure  that  Jesus  was  enrolled  in  the  synagogue 
school  of  Nazareth  when  he  was  about  six  years  of  age. 
There  he  learned  to  read  and  write.  He  studied  first  the 
book  of  Leviticus,  then  others  of  the  early  books  of  the 
Old  Testament.  Later  he  studied  the  Prophets  and  the 
Psalms.  He  committed  to  memory  long  passages  of 
Scripture  so  that  he  knew  by  heart  much  of  the  Old 
Testament.  There  were  other  schools  something  like 
colleges  or  theological  seminaries.  They  were  intended 
for  the  training  of  rabbis  but  Jesus  never  attended 
these. 

The  Home  Life  of  Jesus.  Joseph  was  a  carpenter  and, 
in  harmony  with  the  custom  of  the  Jews,  Jesus  learned 
the  same  trade.  The  family  was  large ;  besides  Jesus 
there  were  four  other  sons  in  the  family  and  at  least  two 
daughters.  Jesus,  being  the  eldest  child,  doubtless  early 
began  to  share  the  burden  of  earning'  food  and  clothing 
for  the  household.  It  is  probable  that  Joseph  died  while 
Jesus  was  yet  a  boy  and  thus  the  responsibilities  of  the 
home  fell  on  the  young  shoulders  of  him  who  was  to  be 
the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

In  a  simple  Jewish  home  like  that  in  which  Jesus  lived 
religion  had  a  large  place.  The  children  were  taught  little 
prayers  as  soon  as  they  could  talk  and  they  said  these 
prayers  morning,  noon,  and  night.  They  were  taught  a 
thanksgiving  prayer  to  be  said  before  meals.  The  Jewish 
Sabbath  began  at  sunset  on  Friday  and  it  was  a  day  of 
solemn  rest  and  worship  in  the  home.    As  soon  as  the  sun 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      31 

touched  the  western  horizon  a  hush  fell  on  the  household, 
but  it  was  not  a  silence  of  suppression.  The  Sabbath  was 
a  glad  day  for  the  children.  The  father  went  away  each 
Friday  evening  to  a  service  in  the  synagogue.  When  he 
returned  home,  he  would  find  the  Sabbath  lamp  burning 
brightly  and  the  table  spread  with  the  best  the  house- 
hold could  afTord.  Before  sitting  down  the  father  placed 
his  hands  on  the  head  of  each  child  and  asked  Jehovah's 
blessing  on  his  offspring. 

Then  there  were  the  great  feast  days  like  the  passover 
and  the  feast  of  Purim  which  were  household  festivals. 
There  was  the  feast  of  tabernacles  when  the  whole  family 
moved  out  of  the  house  and  lived  in  a  tent  or  a  booth 
made  of  boughs — a  delightful  occasion  for  the  children. 
All  these  festival  occasions  were  filled  with  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  of  religion.  They  were  not  mere  times  of 
feasting  and  pleasure  such  as  our  Christmas  and  our 
Thanksgiving  are  so  prone  to  become.  At  the  passover 
festival  the  youngest  child  in  the  family  would  always 
ask  for  the  story  of  the  deliverance  from  Egypt.  The 
family  sat  in  attentive  silence  while  the  father  told  the 
old,  old  story  of  how  Jehovah,  their  God,  had  delivered 
the  Hebrews  from  the  hands  of  cruel  Pharaoh.  Then 
they  all  joined  in  singing  the  passover  psalm. 

A  Reader  in  the  Synagogue.  Jesus  doubtless  went 
with  Joseph  and  Mary  to  the  synagogue  services,  even 
when  he  was  a  little  child.  There  he  would  hear  the 
reading  of  the  Law,  the  Prophets,  and  the  Psalms.  He 
would  hear  the  reader  explaining  the  Scriptures  to  the 
people.  He  would  hear  the  solemn  prayers  and  the  sing- 
ing of  the  psalms.  Even  while  he  was  yet  too  young  to 
understand  very  much  that  was  said,  the  service  would 
nevertheless  make  a  deep  impression  upon  him.  As  he 
grew  up  he  was  accustomed  to  attend  the  Sabbath  ser- 
vices in  the  synagogue.  When  he  became  a  young  man 
his  neighbors  had  so  much  confidence  in  him  that  they 
made  him  a  reader  for  their  synagogue.  Thus  he  was 
given  the  privileges  of  reading  the  Scriptures  every  Sab- 
bath and  explaining  the  different  passages  to  the  people 
who  had  assembled  for  worship  and  instruction. 


32      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The;  Ye:ars  of  Pkrfe:ct  Growth 

Luke  2  :40-52 

"And  the  child  grew,  and  waxed  strong,  filled  with  wisdom: 
and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him."^ — Luke  2:40. 

This  brief  verse  covers  twelve  years  of  the  life  of 
Jesus.  They  tell  us  about  a  perfect  childhood.  Child- 
hood is  a  time  of  growth,  and  the  childhood  of  Jesus  was 
not  an  exception  ;  only  in  his  case  growth  was  perfect. 

Perfect  Physical  Development.  Jesus  "  grew,  and 
waxed  strong."  He  was  laying  the  foundations  for 
physical  strength  in  manhood.  As  we  study  his  life  we 
shall  see  that  he  must  have  possessed  great  powers  of 
physical  endurance.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  doubtless 
had  to  handle  heavy  beams.  He  made  long  and  toilsome 
journeys.  He  spoke  to  crowds  of  people  where  many 
thousands  were  gathered  together.  After  speaking  and 
healing  all  day  he  often  toiled  far  into  the  night,  and  the 
next  day  he  was  out  a  long  time  before  dawn.  Jesus 
coidd  not  have  labored  as  he  did  unless  he  had  laid  good 
physical  foundations  in  boyhood.  If  a  boy  does  any- 
thing to  weaken  and  injure  his  body,  he  is  lessening  his 
chances  to  become  a  strong  and  useful  man. 

Perfect  Intellectual  Development.  Jesus  during  the 
years  of  his  boyhood  was  becoming  "  filled  with  wisdom." 
He  was  learning  the  psalms  and  the  words  of  the 
prophets.  He  was  learning  the  laws  given  by  Moses  and 
the  wonderful  stories  of  the  Old  Testament  patriarchs. 
He  was  learning  to  see  God  and  to  know  him  in  the 
birds  and  the  flowers  and  the  clouds.  He  grew  as  per- 
fectly in  mind  as  he  grew  perfectly  in  body.  Every  boy 
and  girl  should  try  to  grow  as  Jesus  grew.  The  nearer 
they  are  like  the  child  Jesus,  the  greater  will  be  their 
strength  and  usefulness  when  they  become  men  and 
women. 

Perfect  Spiritual  Development.  Luke  says  of  the  boy 
Jesus,  "  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him."  Jesus  never 
did  that  which  was  wrong  even  when  he  was  a  boy.  He 
never  disobeyed  his  parents.  We  are  told  that  he  was 
"  subject   unto "   Mary   and   Joseph   all   the   days   of  his 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       33 

childhood  and  youth.  Jesus  never  broke  God's  laws  so 
the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him  as  a  constant  and  ever- 
growing blessing  all  the  days  of  his  life. 

Note:book  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook :  Christ  and  the  Doc- 
tors, by  Hofmann  (797  G,  Perry,  Bailey,  page  103)  ; 
Nazareth  and  the  Hill  Country,  (182  Wilde)  ;  Jesus' 
First  View  of  Jerusalem,  by  Mengelberg  (3058  Perry). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

IN  THE  TEMPLE  AT  THE  AGE  OF  TWELVE 
Luke  2  :41-53 

There  comes  to  every  boy  and  girl  at  the  age  of  twelve 
years,  or  thereabouts,  a  call  from  God.  We  can  know 
God  and  love  him  when  we  are  little  children,  but  boys 
and  girls  of  the  Intermediate  Department  may  begin  to 
know  God  in  a  deeper  way  than  is  possible  in  childhood. 
Happy  is  the  boy,  or  girl,  who  hears  this  early  call  of 
God  and  who  answers  gladly,  "  Here  am  I ;  speak,  for 
thy  servant  heareth."  Such  a  decision  means  that  they 
are  dedicating  all  of  life  to  God;  that  they  do  not  intend 
to  live  their  best  years  in  sin  and  then  bring  the  fag- 
ends  of  their  lives  as  an  offering  to  their  Creator.  It 
means  a  lifelong  growth  and  a  lifelong  service. 

Sometimes  boys  and  girls  have  not  learned  to  love 
God  as  little  children  and  have  done  many  things  that 
were  not  right  in  God's  sight.  Such  boys  and  girls  must 
of  course  be  sorry  for  the  sins  they  have  committed  be- 
fore they  become  Christians.  They  must  be  converted, 
or  turned  toward  God. 

We  have  seen  in  our  last  lesson  that  Jesus  grew  just  as 
other  children  grow,  only  he  never  did  Avrong  things  such 
as  other  children  always  do  to  some  extent.  Jesus  seems 
to  have  had  an  experience  when  he  was  twelve  years  of 
age  which  was  much  like  the  experience  of  other  people 
at  about  the  same  age.     There  was  this  difference,  how- 


34      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

ever:  Jesus  had  never  disobeyed  God's  will,  so  there  v^as 
no  struggle  and  sorrow  for  sin  in  his  case.  He  heard 
God's  call  and  there  was  nothing  but  gladness  in  his  in- 
stant answer  to  his  Father's  voice. 

The  Journey  to  Jerusalem.  Joseph  and  Mary,  being 
godly  people,  went  every  year  to  the  feast  of  the  passover 
in  Jerusalem.  When  Jesus  was  twelve  years  old,  he  went 
with  them.  This  was  probably  the  first  time  that  Jesus 
had  been  in  Jerusalem  since  h^  was  a  baby.  It  must  have 
been  a  wonderful  day  for  the  boy  of  Nazareth  when  he 
first  set  out  to  visit  the  Holy  City  of  which  he  had  heard 
so  much  in  his  home  and  in  his  classes  at  school.  How 
eagerly  he  must  have  counted  the  days  before  the  wonder- 
ful journey  should  begin ! 

They  probably  started  early  in  the  morning.  Coming 
down  from  their  home  in  the  hill  town  of  Nazareth,  they 
descended  into  the  deep  gorge  of  the  Jordan,  leaving 
beautiful  Lake  Galilee  on  their  left.  Then  they  crossed 
the  Jordan  and  continued  their  journey  down  the  eastern 
bank  of  that  historic  river.  They  camped  at  night  with 
the  neighbors  and  relatives  who  were  going  with  them  to 
the  feast.  They  cooked  their  food  over  a  camp  fire  and 
slept  under  the  stars.  Around  the  fires  at  night  they 
probably  told  tales  of  other  journeys  they  had  made  in 
the  years  long  past,  or  they  spoke  with  hushed  voices  of 
Jehovah's  wondrous  deeds  when  he  brought  up  their 
forefathers  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  and  drove  out  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land  before  the  armies  of  Joshua. 

They  crossed  the  Jordan  just  east  of  Jericho  by  the 
very  ford  where  the  Hebrews  crossed  with  Joshua.  Then 
they  began  to  climb  the  long,  steep  road  that  leads  up 
from  Jericho  to  Jerusalem.  They  reached  the  village  of 
Bethany,  then  followed  the  road  which  winds  around  the 
Mount  of  Olives.  All  at  once  the  Holy  City  lay  stretched 
out  before  them.  Beyond  its  grim  old  walls  of  stone  the 
homes  of  the  Hebrews  rose  tier  on  tier  upon  the  hills  of 
Zion.  There  was  the  white-walled  Temple,  the  dwelling 
place  of  Jehovah,  with  the  gold  upon  its  towers  glittering 
in  the  sun. 

The  pilgrims  had  now  become  a  great  multitude  and  at 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       35 

the  sight  of  the  city  a  great  shout  arose.     They  began  to 
sing  one  of  the  Songs  of  Ascents : 


"  I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me, 
Let  us  go  unto  the  nou^e  oi  jenovuu. 
Our  feet  are  standing 
Within  thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem  that  art  builded 
As  a  city  that  is  compact  together; 
Whither  the  tribes  go  up, 
Even  the  tribes  of  Jehovah, 
For  an  ordinance  for  Israel, 
To  give  thanks  unto  the  name  of  Jehovah." 

— Ps.  122:1-4. 


The  Passover  Services  in  the  Temple.  The  passover 
services  in  Jerusalem  must  have  been  deeply  impressive 
to  the  boy  Jesus.  There  were  vast  throngs  of  people 
from  all  parts  of  the  known  world  crowded  into  the 
courts  of  the  Temple.  The  priests  offered  sacrifices  and 
the  odor  of  incense  filled  the  air.  There  were  great 
choirs  which  sang  psalms  expressing  the  hopes  of  the 
Hebrews  for  the  coming  of  their  Messiah.  Everywhere 
Jesus  would  hear  the  confession  of  sins  and  prayers  for 
the  coming  of  the  Deliverer  of  the  nation.  Yet  he  would 
feel  no  call  to  confess  any  sin,  for  he  had  never  disobeyed 
the  will  of  God.  He  would  come  to  realize  how  different 
he  was  in  this  respect  from  all  other  people.  It  may  be 
that  he  began  to  realize  then  that  he  was  to  be  the  Deliv- 
erer for  whom  the  nation  was  longing  and  'praying. 
Many  men  and  Avomen  who  have  lived  great  lives  have 
caught  visions  of  their  life  tasks  when  they  were  yet 
children  and  it  may  be  that  this  was  the  case  with  Jesus. 
With  him  the  vision  would  have  been  more  sublime  than 
it  can  be  with  anyone  else,  because  his  task  was  one  of 
immeasurable  importance  and  grandeur. 

A  Son  of  the  Law.  At  the  age  of  twelve  Jewish  boys 
became  "  sons  of  the  law,"  that  is,  they  were  looked  upon 
as  entering  into  manhood  and  citizenship  at  that  age. 
This  is  probably  why  Jesus  went  to  Jerusalem  when  he 
was  twelve  years  old.    There  may  have  been  some  kind  of 


36       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

examination  given  such  boys  by  the  rabbis  of  the  Temple 
and  they  may  have  taken  part  in  a  kind  of  confirmation 
service. 

Lost  in  the  City.  When  Joseph  and  Mary  started  back 
home  Jesus  was  left  behind  in  Jerusalem.  They  thought 
he  was  with  some  of  their  relatives  and  did  not  note  his 
absence  until  they  stopped  to  camp  for  the  night.  It  may 
be  that  Jesus  had  become  so  absorbed  in  the  thrilling 
events  of  the  passover  festival  that  he  had  forgotten  all 
about  the  time  set  for  the  beginning  of  the  homeward 
journey.  Mary  and  Joseph  went  back  to  Jerusalem  seek- 
ing for  Jesus  and  at  last  found  him  in  the  Temple.  He 
was  sitting  surrounded  by  the  greatest  of  the  rabbis  of 
Jerusalem.  He  was  hearing  them  and  asking  them  ques- 
tions and  all  that  heard  Jesus  "  were  amazed  at  his  un- 
derstanding and  his  answers."  Mary  reproved  her  son, 
saying,  "Why  hast  thou  thus  dealt  with  us?  behold,  thy 
father  and  I  sought  thee  sorrowing."  But  Jesus  replied, 
"  How  is  it  that  ye  sought  me?  knew  ye  not  that  I  must 
be  in  my  Father's  house?"  These  are  the  first  recorded 
words  of  Jesus  and  they  show  us  that  he  had  come  to  be- 
lieve that  God  was  his  Father.  It  may  be  that  he  had  al- 
ready begun  to  know  that  he  was  God's  Son  in  a  dififer- 
ent  sense  from  that  in  which  all  people  are  children  of 
God. 

Eighteen  Years  at  Nazareth.  So  Jesus  went  back  to 
Nazareth  with  his  mother  and  Joseph  and  he  "  was  sub- 
ject unto  them."  There  he  lived  in  a  humble  home  and 
labored  iji  a  carpenter  shop  for  eighteen  years.  Some  of 
the  most  heroic  deeds  of  mankind  are  never  written  in 
books.  They  are  done  in  secret  with  no  applause  from 
the  passing  throngs.  It  is  probable  that  Jesus  lived  this 
heroic  kind  of  life  at  Nazareth.  He  had  seen  visions  of 
vast  possibilities  for  the  future,  but  he  went  back  to  his 
humble  tasks,  to  provide  food  for  his  mother  and  his 
younger  brothers  and  sisters.  He  labored  on  until  he  was 
twenty,  until  he  was  twenty-five,  and  still  there  was  no 
change.  Yet  he  was  true  to  the  visions  God  had  given 
him,  true  also  to  the  humble  tasks  just  at  hand.  It  was 
not  until  he  Avas  thirty  that  Jesus  entered  upon  the  great 
work  which  he  had  so  long  foreseen  and  for  which  his 


INTERMEDIATK  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       2n 

heart  had  long  been  yearning.    These  eighteen  years  were 
a  time  of  growth  and  preparation  and  testing. 


Thk  Lksson  Prayer 

O  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  we  thank  thee  for  the  example  of  thy  Son.  We 
thank  thee  for  his  life  as  a  boy.  We  thank  thee  for  his 
character  so  pure  and  helpful  and  true.  We  ask  thee  to 
help  us  to  live  as  he  lived.  Help  us  to  keep  our  bodies 
strong  and  pure  that  we  may  be  good  servants  of  thine. 
Help  us  to  study  diligently  and  to  think  truly  so  that  we 
may  have  minds  that  will  make  us  useful  to  thee  and  to 
every  good  cause  in  the  world.  Keep  us  from  doing 
anything  which  would  injure  the  living  souls  within  us 
and  which  thou  hast  given  unto  us.  Forgive  us  for  all  we 
have  done  which  was  displeasing  to  thee  and  help  us  to 
be  victors  over  evil,  through  Jesus  thy  Son.    Amen. 


The:  Lksson  Hymn 

By  cool  Siloam's  shady  rill 

How  sweet  the  lily  grows! 
How  sweet  the  breath  beneath  the  hill 

Of  Sharon's  dewy  rose! 

Lo,  such  the  child  whose  early  feet 

The  paths  of  peace  have  trod; 
Whose  secret  heart,  with  influence  sweet, 
^Is  upward  turned  to  God. 


O  Thou,  whose  infant  feet  were  found 

Within  thy  Father's  shrine, 
Whose  years  with  changeless  virtue  crowned, 

Were  all  alike  divine; 

Dependent  on  thy  bounteous  breath. 

We  seek  thy  grace  alone 
In  childhood,  manhood,  age.  and  death, 

To  keep  us  still  thine  own. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  316. 

See   "  The    Story   of  the   Hymns   and   Tunes,"   by   Brown  and 
Butterworth,   page  318, 


38      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  TRIANGLE  OF  PERFECT  MANHOOD  AND 
PERFECT  WOMANHOOD 

Eph.  6:10-20 

The  emblem  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
and  also  of  the  Young  Women's  Christian  Association  is 
a  triangle.  Each  side  of  this  triangle  stands  for  one  word 
which  is  sometimes  printed  along  the  side.  One  side 
stands  for  the  Avord  '*  body,"  another  for  the  word 
"  mind,"  and  the  third  side  for  the  word  "spirit."  The 
triangle  means  that  these  two  great  organizations  seek 
for  a  perfect  development  for  each  individual.  They 
strive  to  give  young  people  strong  and  healthy  bodies ; 
they  try  to  improve  their  mental  powers ;  they  help 
young  people  in  that  most  important  of  all  tasks,  keep- 
ing the  soul  strong  and  pure. 

The  thought  that  in  order  to  be  perfect  men  and  perfect 
women  we  must  have  strong  bodies,  trained  minds,  and 
pure  souls,  did  not  originate  with  the  leaders  of  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  however.  Great  and 
good  men  and  women  have  known  it  for  a  long  time. 
Paul  wrote  to  the  young  man  Timothy  urging  him  to 
take  good  care  of  his  health,  admonishing  him  to  '*  give 
diligence  "  to  show  himself  "  approved  unto  God  "  and 
solemnly  warning  him  to  keep  himself  pure.  But  the 
thought  did  not  begin  with  Paul  either.  We  find,  it 
stated  very  exactly  by  Luke  as  he  describes  the  boyhood 
of  Jesus.  He  says  Jesus  '*  grew,  and  waxed  strong,  filled 
with  wisdom ;  and  the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him." 
Jesus  lived  a  life  which  met  all  the  requirements  of  the 
triangle  of  perfect  development. 

We  must  have  all  sides  of  our  triangle  of  life  developed 
if  we  are  to  be  really  strong  and  worthy  men  and  women. 
If  a  man  has  strength  of  body  and  not  much  else,  he  is 
not  a  fit  model  for  the  boys  of  our  land.  Boys  who  wish 
to  amount  to  anything  really  worth  while  must  try  to 
have  strong  bodies  but  also  something  more.  A  man 
with  a  strong  body  but  the  sloping  forehead  of  a  wolf 
and  the  heart  of  a  tiger  is  not  what  sensible  boys  wish  to 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       39 

become.  Neither  is  it  enough  to  have  a  strong  body  and 
a  trained  mind  and  nothing  else.  Such  a  man  might  be 
a  villain.  The  kind  of  a  soul  a  man  has  is  more  im- 
portant than  anything  else.  If  a  man  or  vs^oman  has  a 
strong  body,  a  trained  mind,  and  a  pure  soul,  the  tri- 
angle of  life  is  complete. 

BiBL^  Ve:rse:s 

Prov.  4:10,  13-19;  3  :7,  8 ;  4:20-22;  Ps.  18:31,  32;  27:1; 
84:5;  Isa.  40:31. 

Rkview  Qui:sTlONS 

1.  How  can  we  know  about  the  childhood  of  Jesus? 

2.  Where  was  Nazareth  and  what  kind  of  town  was 
it? 

3.  What  can  be  seen  from  the  summit  of  the  Nazareth 
hill? 

4.  W'hat  kind  of  school  did  Jesus  probably  attend? 

5.  Tell  all  you  can  about  the  probable  home  life  of 
Jesus. 

6.  What  does  the  fact  that  Jesus  was  a  reader  in  the 
synagogue  show  us  about  his  character,  his  habits  of 
life,  and  his  standing  in  the  community? 

7.  What  does  the  Bible  tell  us  about  the  development 
of  Jesus  as  a  child? 

8.  Tell  all  you  can  of  Jesus'  visit  to  Jerusalem  at  the 
age  of  twelve. 

9.  What  lessons  can  we  learn  from  the  childhood  of 
Jesus? 

10.  What  lessons  can  we  learn  from  the  eighteen 
years  Jesus  spent  in  Nazareth  as  a  laborer  in  a  carpen- 
ter's shop? 

Study  Topics 

1.  Habits  Which  Help  Boys  and  Girls  to  Grow  Up 
Physically  Strong. 

2.  Habits  Which  Injure  the  Health  of  Boys  and  Girls. 

3.  The  Efifect  of  Cigarettes  on  Growing  Boys. 

4.  How  I  Get  My  Lessons  in  School. 


40      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

5.  Which  is  Most  Important:  Body,  Mind,  or  Spirit? 

6.  The  Boy  Scout  Program  and  its  Possibilities  for 
AU-Round  Development. 

7.  The  Girl  Scouts  as  a  Preparation  for  Womanhood. 

8.  The  Program  of  the  Pioneers  and  Other  Like 
Organizations. 

9.  A  Recreational  Program  for  our  Department. 

10.  Games  Which  Are  Valuable  for  Exercise  and  De- 
velopment. 

Committee:  Work 

Appoint  a  Recreation  Committee  to  report  on  a  pro- 
gram of  recreation  for  the  department. 

Thi:  Law  oi^  Perfect  Devklopmknt 

In  order  that  we  may  become  perfect  men  and  women 
we  must  be  strong  in  body ;  we  must  be  alert  and  in- 
formed in  mind ;  and  we  must  be  pure  in  heart.  There- 
fore: 

1.  We  will  seek  to  develop  habits  of  life  which  w^ill 
give  us  health  and  strength.  We  will  avoid  all  acts  which 
will  injure  our  bodies. 

2.  We  will  be  diligent  in  study.  We  will  seek  to 
gather  information  and  to  develop  the  power  of  con- 
centrated thinking. 

3.  We  will  strive  after  purity  of  mind  and  heart.  We 
will  to  this  end  honor  God  and  seek  his  help. 


CHAPTER  IV 

THE  LIFE  AND  CHARACTER  OF  JOHN  THE 
BAPTIST 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

MAKING  READY  FOR  THE  MESSIAH 
Matt.  3:1-12;  14:1-12;  Luke  7:18-23 

In  this  chapter  we  turn  aside  from  our  study  of  the 
life  of  Jesus  to  consider  the  life  and  character  of  one 
intimately  associated  with  the  beginning  of  Jesus'  minis- 
try. John  the  Baptist  is  one  of  the  greatest  men  of  his- 
tory. Jesus  said  that  no  greater  man  had  appeared  dur- 
ing all  the  centuries  of  the  Old  Testment  times.  He  said 
that  John  was  a  prophet  "  and  much  more  than  a 
prophet."  There  are  two  reasons,  then,  why  we  should 
know  about  John  the  Baptist :  first,  because  he  was  a 
great  and  good  man  ;  second,  because  of  the  close  con- 
nection of  his  work  with  that  of  Jesus. 

A  Man  of  the  Wilderness.  Matt.  3  :l-4.  We  have  al- 
ready studied  the  passages  of  Scripture  which  tell  us 
about  the  birth  of  John.  His  mission  was  so  important 
that  an  angel  foretold  his  birth  and  gave  him  a  name  from 
heaven.  John  grew  up  apart  from  the  city.  He  was  a 
country  boy.  He  lived  in  a  part  of  the  country  where  he 
saw  but  few  people.  He  spent  much  time  in  thinking  and 
studied  diligently  the  writings  of  Moses  and  the  prophets. 
As  he  grew  older  he  seems  to  have  withdrawn  still  farther 
from  the  haunts  of  men.  He  dwelt  in  the  wilderness ; 
perhaps  in  some  of  the  wild  gorges  of  the  Wilderness  of 
Judea.  In  this  desolate  and  lonely  home,  he  was  getting 
ready  for  his  great  life  work.  The  great  religious  lead- 
ers of  the  world  have  often  lived,  for  a  time  at  least,  as 
John  lived.  Such  a  life  of  solitude  for  one  who  seeks 
fellowship  with  God  has  great  advantages.     It  leads  to 

41 


42      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

simplicity  and  grandeur  of  character.  It  frees  a  person 
from  many  artificial  habits  and  many  modes  of  thought 
and  conduct  which  are  among  the  grave  dangers  of  so- 
ciety. So  John,  living  in  his  desert  home,  dressing  in 
coarse  clothing,  eating  locusts  and  wild  honey,  was 
getting  ready  for  use  as  God's  instrument  in  a  great 
cause. 

The  Preaching  of  a  Prophet.  Matt.  3  :5-12.  John  ap- 
pears upon  the  scene  with  startling  suddenness.  From 
the  very  beginning  of  his  preaching,  he  made  a  pro- 
found impression.  He  had  a  simple  message,  for  he 
said  to  all,  "  Repent  ye ;  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at 
hand."  Such  a  message  was  understood  perfectly  by 
every  Jew.  They  knew  that  it  meant  that  the  Messiah 
was  about  to  appear.  People  came  flocking  out  into  the 
desert  places  to  hear  this  prophetic  preaching.  Nothing 
of  the  kind  had  been  heard  for  hundreds  of  years.  People 
came  from  the  great  cities.  Even  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees of  Jerusalem  joined  the  multitudes  going  out  to 
hear  the  prophet  of  the  wilderness.  People  came  from 
all  parts  of  Palestine  and  from  many  other  lands  where 
the  Jews  had  gone  to  find  homes. 

John  was  fearless  and  practical.  When  he  saw  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees  coming  to  hear  him  he  said  to 
them,  "  Ye  offspring  of  vipers,  who  warned  you  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come?  Bring  forth  therefore  fruit 
worthy  of  repentance :  and  think  not  to  say  within  your- 
selves, We  have  Abraham  to  our  father:  for  I  say  unto 
you,  that  God  is  able  of  these  stones  to  raise  up  children 
unto  Abraham."  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  did,  indeed, 
think  that  they  had  great  favor  with  God  because  they 
were  descendants  of  Abraham,  so  we  see  that  John  under- 
stood them  very  well.  It  took  a  man  of  lofty  courage  to 
speak  so  plainly  to  these  proud  religious  leaders. 

Thousands  came  to  John,  professing  to  be  penitent  for 
their  sins  and  asking  to  be  baptized.  Multitudes  were  so 
stirred  that  they  cried  out,  saying,  "  What  then  must  we 
do?"  John  answered  their  question  with  the  words,  "  He 
that  hath  two  coats,  let  him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none ; 
and  he  that  hath  food,  let  him  do  likewise."  It  is  well 
for  us  to  remember  these  words  of  John  when  we  pray 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      43 

saying,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,  Thy  wilt  be  done  in  earth, 
as  it  is  in  heaven."  When  the  multitudes  asked 
John  what  they  should  do  to  get  ready  for  the  coming 
Kingdom,  he  advised  them  to  drop  all  selfishness  and  to 
do  acts  of  generosity  and  helpfulness. 

Even  the  despised  and  outcast  publicans  came  to  hear 
John  and  many  repented  of  their  sins.  These  came  to 
John  saying,  "Teacher,  what  must  we  do?"  John's 
answer  was,  "  Extort  no  more  than  that  which  is  ap- 
pointed you."  He  did  not  tell  them  that  they  would  have 
to  give  us  the  occupation  of  tax-collecting,  which  was  a 
task  necessary  and  honorable,  in  itself;  but  he  did  tell 
them  to  stop  at  once  the  extortion  which  was  the  great 
sin  of  the  publicans.  Even  some  soldiers  from  the 
Roman  garrisons  were  touched  by  John's  message.  Per- 
haps the}^  had  come  out  of  curiosity,  but  had  been  con- 
quered by  the  power  of  John's  preaching.  These  soldiers 
came  saying,  "And  we,  what  must  we  do?"  How 
strong  and  sensible  was  John's  answer !  "  Extort  from 
no  man  by  violence,  neither  accuse  any  one  wrongfully ; 
and  be  content  with  your  wages."  John  laid  bare  in  these 
words  the  besetting  sin  of  the  soldiers  of  that  time.  They 
often  extorted  money  from  citizens  by  threatening  their 
lives.  They  often  brought  false  charges  against  people 
for  the  purpose  of  wreaking  personal  vengeance,  or  that 
they  might  extort  money  through  blackmail.  John  went 
straight  to  these  besetting  sins  of  the  soldiery  and  told 
them  all  such  things  must  cease  if  they  were  to  be  citi- 
zens of  the  Kingdom. 

In  the  Dungeon  of  Machaerus.  Matt.  14:1-12.  John's 
fearless  preaching  finally  brought  him  to  imprisonment 
and  death.  On  the  death  of  Herod  the  Great,  one  of  his 
sons  named  Herod  Antipas  became  ruler  of  Galilee.  This 
weak  and  wicked  son  of  ,a  wicked  father  divorced  his 
lawful  wife,  who  was  an  Arabian  princess,  and  enticing 
away  the  wife  of  his  own  brother  married  her.  This 
shameful  deed  brought  on  war  with  the  king  of  Arabia 
who  came  with  an  army  to  avenge  the  wrong  done  his 
daughter.  There  was  one  man  within  the  king's  own 
dominions  who  dared  to  denounce  such  wickedness  even 
though  it  was  the  wickedness  of  a  king.     John  the  Bap- 


44       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

tist  faced  the  sinful  monarch  and  told  him  that  it  was  not 
lawful  for  him  to  have  his  brother's  wife. 

Herod  seized  John  and  had  him  cast  into  prison.  His 
place  of  confinement  was  probably  the  lonely  castle  of 
Mach?erus  east  of  the  Dead  Sea.  Beneath  this  great 
castle  there  were  dungeons,  where  the  air  was  always 
heavy  with  the  sulphurous  fumes  constantly  escaping 
from  the  cracks  in  the  volcanic  rocks.  It  is  probable 
that  John  was  cast  into  one  of  these  cells  below  the 
castle. 

The  Answer  of  Jesus  to  a  Message  from  John.  Luke 
7:18-23.  John  was  a  man  of  the  open  air.  He  had  led 
an  active  life.  To  such  a  man  confinement  in  a  dungeon 
was  a  terrible  experience.  He  had  proclaimed  to  the 
multitudes  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  for  whom  they 
were  waiting.  He  had  pointed  out  Jesus  to  his  own 
disciples  saying  to  them,  "  Behold,  the  Lamb  of  God, 
that  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  But  after  he  had 
been  for  a  long  time  in  the  dungeon,  doubts  seem  to 
have  entered  John's  mind.  He  was  not  doubting  Jesus, 
for  Jesus  had  never  told  him  that  he  was  the  Messiah. 
John  was  rather  doubting  his  own  statements  regarding 
Jesus. 

John  was,  after  all,  a  man  of  Old  Testament  ideas  and 
many  things  wdiich  Jesus  did  puzzled  him  somewhat.  He 
was  still  more  puzzled  by  the  things  he  had  expected 
Jesus  to  do  but  which  Jesus  had  not  done  and  seemed  to 
liave  no  thought  of  doing.  When  we  have  doubts,  it  is 
a  good  thing  for  us  to  face  them  honestly  and  to  seek 
the  best  information  available.  John  did  both  of  these 
things.  He  called  two  of  his  disciples  and  sent  them  to 
Jesus  with  the  question :  "  Art  thou  he  that  cometh,  or 
look  we  for  another?"  John  ought  not  to  have  doubted, 
but  when  we  consider  that  he  was  in  a  dungeon  we  can- 
not condemn  him  too  severel3^ 

Jesus  answered  John  in  a  remarkable  way.  He  had  no 
word  of  reproof  for  the  man  who  had  proclaimed  him  to 
be  the  Messiah,  but  who  had  begun  to  waver  in  faith  un- 
der trying  circumstances.  Jesus  went  right  on  with  his 
work.  He  cured  many  of  diseases  and  plagues.  He 
opened  the  eyes  of  the  blind.     After  an  hour  or  so  of 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  Li:SSONS       45 

teaching  and  healing,  he  turned  to  the  disciples  of  John 
and  said,  "  Go  and  tell  John  the  things  which  ye  have 
seen  and  heard  ;  the  blind  receive  their  sight,  the  lame 
w^alk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead 
are  raised  up,  the  poor  have  good  tidings  preached  to 
them.  And  blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  find  no  oc- 
casion of  stumbling  in  me." 

What  a  perfect  answer  that  was !  By  teaching  and 
healing  Jesus  was  manifesting  the  very  spirit  of  God  and 
giving  evidence  that  he  was  the  kind  of  Saviour 
God  would  send  to  the  world.  Moreover,  he  was  ful- 
filling to  the  letter  some  of  the  predictions  of  the 
prophets.  How  gentle  and  kind,  yet  how  firm  is  the 
warning  in  his  closing  words !  John  was  in  danger  of 
stumbling  because  of  misunderstanding  as  to  the  acts  of 
Jesus.  Jesus  does  not  point  out  the  dangers  so  much  as 
he  points  out  the  blessings  that  will  come  if  John's  faith 
does  not  fail :  "  Blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  find  no 
occasion  of  stumbling  in  me."  We  may  well  believe  that 
John  was  satisfied  with  this  answer  of  Jesus  and  that  he 
met  his  fate  firm  in  the  belief  that  Jesus  was  the  Re- 
deemer for  whose  coming  he  had  labored  to  make 
preparation. 

NOTKBOOK    WOKK 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  Notebook :  John  the  Baptist 
Preaching,  by  Titian  (43  Wilde)  ;  Christ  Healing  the  Sick, 
by  Schonherr  (3174  Perrv)  ;  Tohn  the  Baptist,  by  Del 
Sarto  (42  Wilde,  Page  117,  Bailey). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  MAN  GREAT  IN  THE  SIGHT  OF  THE  LORD 
John  1 :6-37  :  3  :22-30 

You  will  remember  that  the  angel  told  Zacharias  that 
his  son  should  be  "  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord."  Some 
people  who  are  called  great  by  men  are  not  great  in  God's 
sight.  Herod  was  called  ''  The  Great,"  but  he  was  great 
only  hi  wickedness.    Alexander  was  called  "  The  Great," 


46      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

but  he  could  not  control  himself  and  died  as  the  result  of 
a  drunken  revel.  But  when  a  man  can  be  said  to  be 
"  great  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,"  we  may  be  sure  that  he 
is  truly  great.  In  this  lesson  we  wish  to  see  just  what 
qualities  of  character  John  possessed  and  how  these  quali- 
ties made  him  great  in  the  sight  of  God. 

Great  in  His  Sincerity.  If  a  person  has  sincerity  it 
means  that  he  is  genuine,  that  he  is,  as  we  say,  ''  out  and 
out."  A  sincere  person  is  free  from  what  we  call  du- 
plicity. He  does  not  pretend  to  feel,  think,  or  do  what 
he  really  does  not  think,  feel,  or  do.  It  was  John's  ab- 
solute sincerity  that  helped  to  attract  the  multitudes.  No 
man  can  have  great  and  lasting  power  over  large  num- 
bers of  people  if  he  is  insincere  .at  heart.  One  of  the 
greatest  of  our  presidents  was  once  asked,  "  How  is  it 
that  you  have  such  power  over  the  people  of  the  coun- 
try?" The  man  to  whom  the  question  was  addressed 
was  thoughtfully  silent  for  a  moment  and  then  he  said, 
*'  I  do  not  know  why  this  is  true,  unless  it  be  that  it  is 
because  I  am  absolutely  sincere."  Sincerity  was  a  re- 
sult of  John's  tremendous  moral  earnestness.  He  had  a 
great  life  goal  and  he  went  at  his  great  task  with  all  his 
might.  The  poet  Whittier  once  said  to  a  young  man, 
"  Find  some  great  and  worthy  cause  and  then  give  your- 
self to  it  without  reserve  and  your  devotion  to  a  great 
cause  will  help  you  to  become  truly  great  in  character." 
People  who  become  great  and  useful  develop  this  moral 
earnestness  early  in  life.  Like  Jesus  and  John  the  Bap- 
tist, they  hear  even  in  childhood  the  call  to  be  about  the 
Father's  business. 

Great  in  His  Humility.  Truly  great  people  are  nearly 
always  humble.  They  realize  their  own  littleness  in 
comparison  with  the  vastness  of  God's  universe.  A  truly 
wise  person  knows  enough  to  see  that  one  can  know  only 
a  very  small  part  of  all  that  is  to  be  known.  Sir  Isaac 
Newton  said  that  he  had  "  picked  up  only  a  few  pebbles 
on  the  beach  while  the  vast  ocean  of  truth  lay  all  undis- 
covered." If  you  know  people  Avho  go  about  with  an  air 
which  seems  to  suggest  that  in  their  estimation  they 
know  all  there  is  to  be  known,  you  may  set  down  fo^- 
certain  that  these  people  are  far  from  being  great  in  char- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       47 

acter.  John  was  a  truly  humble  man.  He  did  not  claim 
to  be  the  Messiah,  nor  would  he  be  called  Elijah.  He 
would  not  claim  to  be  the  prophet.  He  said  of  himself 
that  he  was  a  voice  crying  in  the  wilderness.  That  was 
all  he  cared  to  be,  just  a  voice.  He  did  not  care  to  be 
seen,  but  just  to  make  his  message  known  and  thus  pre- 
pare for  the  coming  of  the  King.  He  said  that  he  was  not 
worthy  to  stoop  down  and  unloose  the  shoe  latchets  of 
the  Messiah. 

Great  in  His  Democracy.  When  any  person  has  a 
sympathy  wide  enough  to  take  in  all  classes  of  people, 
and  recognizes  a  universal  brotherhood  including  every 
race,  color,  and  condition  of  humanity,  such  a  person  is 
said  to  be  democratic,  and  we  say  that  such  a  person  has 
the  quality  we  call  democracy.  A  person  with  a  demo- 
cratic spirit  believes  in  the  fundamental  equality  of  the 
race.  Such  a  person  treats  his  fellow  men  in  a  uniform 
manner.  He  never  despises  one  person  and  comes  crawl- 
ing up  to  some  other  person  with  flattery  and  fawning. 

Do  you  remember  what  Jesus  said  to  the  multitudes 
after  John's  disciples  had  asked  the  question  which  John 
had  sent  them  to  ask  and  had  gone  back  to  their  master 
with  the  answer  of  Jesus?  Nothing  is  a  better  index  to 
character  than  the  way  a  person  speaks  about  people  in 
their  absence.  If  we  talk  about  people  when  they  are 
not  present  in  a  way  we  would  not  think  of  talking  about 
them  in  their  presence,  we  show  ourselves  to  be  mean 
and  cowardly.  It  is  a  sign  of  noble  character  when  any- 
one speaks  well  of  the  absent  whenever  possible.  Jesus 
might  have  reproached  John  to  the  multitude.  He  had 
some  occasion  for  doing  so,  as  you  will  remember,  but 
he  commended  John  with  the  highest  kind  of  praise.  He 
said  to  the  people,  "  What  went  ye  out  into  the  wilder- 
ness to  behold  ?  a  reed  shaken  with  the  wind  ?  But  what 
went  ye  out  to  see?  a  man  clothed  in  soft  raiment?" 
Jesus  meant  something  like  this:  ''Was  John  a  crafty 
man,  one  thing  to-day  and  another  thing  to-morrow? 
Was  he  one  thing  to  one  man  and  another  thing  to  other 
men?  Was  he  like  a  reed  turning  about  every  time  the 
wind  changes?  Was  he  a  man  seeking  always  his  own 
comfort  and  his  own  honor,  seeking  ever  to  *  feather  his 


48      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

own  nest,'  as  we  say?"  Then  Jesus  told  the  people  that 
they  would  find  these  self-seeking  men  in  king's  courts, 
and  the  palace  of  Herod  was,  indeed,  full  of  them.  But 
he  said  that  John  was  a  prophet  and  more  than  a 
prophet,  that  no  greater  man  than  John  had  ever  been 
born. 

Great  in  His  Courage.  John  the  Baptist  was  a  man  of 
lofty  moral  courage.  He  dared  to  stand  alone  for 
righteousness.  We  have  seen  how  courageously  he  re- 
buked the  Pharisees  and  how  heroically  he  reproved 
King  Herod.  A  man  must  have  strong  moral  courage  to 
be  democratic ;  so  the  two  qualities,  democracy  and  cour- 
age, are  usually  found  together.  John  treated  the  Phari- 
sees just  as  he  treated  the  despised  publicans.  He  spoke 
to  Herod  just  as  firmly  as  he  spoke  to  the  Roman  soldiers 
who  came  to  him  in  the  wilderness.  A  less  courageous 
man  than  John  would  have  thought  it  good  policy  to  win 
the  Pharisees  by  some  utterance  which  would  have  flat- 
tered their  pride.  Such  a  man  would  have  passed  over 
the  sins  of  the  Jewish  leaders  in  silence.  But  John  was 
too  sincere,  too  democratic,  too  courageous,  for  any  such 
course  of  action  as  that. 

Great  in  His  Usefulness.  Selfishness  and  soul  great- 
ness are  deadly  foes.  They  cannot  exist  side  by  side  in 
the  same  personality.  Selfishness  makes  people  little ; 
it  makes  them  little  in  their  sympathies,  little  in  their 
plans,  little  in  their  outlook  on  life.  Great  souls  have 
forgotten  self  in  devotion  to  some  great  understanding. 
They  have  come  to  think  of  their  personal  comfort  as 
amounting  to  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  task  to 
which  they  have  devoted  themselves.  They  have  come 
to  value  life  itself  as  of  less  value  than  the  goal  which 
they  have  set  before  them. 

The  unselfishness  of  John  the  Baptist  was  shown  by 
an  incident  which  occurred  near  the  close  of  his  ministry. 
John  3  :22-30.  Jesus  had  begun  to  preach  and  his  disciples 
had  begun  to  baptize.  In  a  little  while  the  multitudes 
which  had  followed.  John  the  Baptist  were  following 
Jesus.  This  disturbed  the  disciples  of  John.  Thev  came 
to  their  master  and  said,  "  Rabbi,  he  that  was  with  thee 
beyond  the  Jordan,  to  whom  thou  hast  borne  witness, 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      49 

behold,  the  same  baptizeth,  and  all  men  come  to  him." 
John  answered:  '*  A  man  can  receive  nothing,  except  it 
have  been  given  him  from  heaven.  Ye  yourselves  bear 
me  witness,  that  I  said,  I  am  not  the  Christ,  but,  that  I 
am  sent  before  him.  He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the  bride- 
groom :  but  the  friend  of  the  bridegroom,  that  standeth 
and  heareth  him,  rejoiceth  greatly  because  of  the  bride- 
groom's voice:  this  my  joy  therefore  is  made  full.  He 
must  increase,  but  I  must  decrease."  This  is  one  of  the 
most  nobly  unselfish  utterances  in  the  Bible.  Instead 
of  growing  peevish  because  of  the  increasing  popularity 
of  Jesus,  John  found  fullness  of  joy  in  the  success  of  his 
friend.  His  own  popularity  was  waning  and  he  knew  it. 
Perhaps  he  had  premonitions  of  the  fate  which  would 
ultimately  befall  him,  but  he  had  joy  and  satisfaction  in 
the  thought  that  Jesus  was  meeting  with  growing  success 
in  his  efforts  to  reach  and  interest  the  multitudes.* 

Great  in  His  Fidelity.  John  the^  Baptist  was  wholly 
devoted  to  his  task  of  preparing  for  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah.  Such  devotion  to  duty  we  call  fidelity  and  it 
is  one  of  the  finest  traits  of  character.  John  probably 
grew  up  with  his  life  work  ever  in  view\  We  may  be- 
lieve that  Zacharias  and  Elisabeth  told  their  little  son  at 
an  early  age  the  story  of  the  angel's  visit  and  the  words 
he  spoke  about  John's  work 'in  the  world. 

The  Eksson  Praykr 

We  thank  thee,  our  Father  in  heaven,  for  the  life  and 
example  of  thy  faithful  servant,  John  the  Baptist.  Help 
us  to  have  that  moral  courage  which  he  manifested  so 
largely.  Help  us  to  have  a  wide  sympathy  for  all  thy 
children.  Help  us  to  be  unselfish  and  faithful.  If  it  be 
thy  will,  reveal  to  us  at  an  early  age  the  life  task  Avhich 
thou  hast  for  each  one  of  us,  and  when  we  have  found 
our  work,  help  us  to  be  diligent  and  true.  Bless  our 
homes  and  our  church  school.  Help  us  to  make  our 
homes  happy  dwelling  places  where  helpfulness  and  love 
abound.  We  ask  thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord.    Amen. 


50      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The:  Lksson  Hymn 

On  Jordan's  bank  the  Baptist's  cry 
Announces  that  the  Lord  is  nigh; 

Come  then  and  harken,  for  he  brings 
Glad  tidings  from  the  King  of  kings. 

E'en  now  the  air,  the  sea,  the  land, 
Feel  that  their  Maker  is  at  hand; 

The  very  elements  rejoice, 

And  welcome  him  with  cheerful  voice. 

"  The  Hymnal  Revised,"  No.  200. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

LESSONS  FROM  THE  LIFE  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST 
Mark  1:1-8;  6:14-19 

In  Old  Testament  times  there  were  people  called  Nazi- 
rites.  The  name  "  Nazirite  ''  means  separated  or  conse- 
crated, and  was  given  to  people  who  had  vowed  to  conse- 
crate their  bodies  and  their  minds  to  the  service  of  God. 
Some  people  became  Nazirites  after  they  were  grown  but 
sometimes  parents  took  the  vows  for  their  children  and 
then  the  person  so  dedicated  to  God  in  infancy  grew  up  to 
be  a  Nazirite  for  all  his  lifetime.  This  was  the  case  with 
Samuel  for  his  mother  promised  God  that  if  he  should 
give  her  a  little  son,  she  would  *'  give  him  unto  Jehovah 
all  the  days  of  his  life."  So  when  Samuel  was  only  a 
little  boy,  his  mother  brought  him  to  the  house  of  God 
and  he  made  his  home  with  the  old  priest,  Eli,  and  grew 
up  to  be  one  of  the  greatest  and  noblest  men  of  the 
Hebrew  nation.  If  you  do  not  know  about  this  beauti- 
ful story  of  the  little  boy  Samuel,  you  must  read  it  in  the 
first  three  chapters  of  I  Samuel. 

John,  too,  was  consecrated  to  God  by  his  parents  from 
the  day  of  his  birth.  He  grew  up  with  a  healthy  body, 
because  he  ate  simple  food  and  did  not  drink  strong 
drink.  He  grew  up  with  an  ever-widening  knowledge 
of  the  Bible,  because  his  parents  taught  him  the  Psalms, 
the  Ivaw,  and  the  Prophets,  from  his  earliest  years.  He 
grew  up  strong  and  courageous  in  spirit,  because  he  did 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       51 

right  and  kept  his  conscience  clean  and  learned  to  know 
God  more  and  more. 

Since  Jesus  has  come  to  the  world,  we  do  not  have  just 
a  few  people  called  Nazirites  who  are  consecrated  to 
God.  Jesus  taught  us  that  every  true  follower  of  his  is 
consecrated  to  God.  Every  follower  of  Jesus  ought  to 
live  so  as  to  be  strong  in  body,  pure  in  mind,  and  up- 
right in  soul.  It  is  a  fortunate  boy  or  girl  who  has  godly 
parents  and  who,  like  Samuel  and  John  the  Baptist,  is 
given  to  God  in  earliest  years. 

Bible  Vkrsks 

Prov.  28:20;  I  Cor.  4:2;  Rev.  2:10;  II  Chron.  34:  12; 
Deut.  31:6;  Josh.  10:25;  Ps.  2?:14;  Col.  3:11;  Gal.  6:10. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Where  did  John  the  Baptist  live  as  a  boy  and  what 
efifect  did  his  home  life  have  on  his  character? 

2.  What  was  the  character  of  John's  preaching? 

3.  Who  came  to  hear  John? 

4.  What  did  John  say  to  the  publicans?  to  the  sol- 
diers? 

5.  How  did  it  happen  that  John  was  cast  into  prison? 

6.  What  question  did  John  send  his  disciples  to  ask  of 
Jesus  and  how  did  Jesus  answer  the  question? 

7.  What  acts  and  words  of  John  the  Baptist  show  us 
that  he  was  a  courageous  man? 

8.  How  did  John  show  his  unselfishness? 

9.  How  did  John  the  Baptist  prepare  for  the  coming 
of  Jesus? 

10.  How  do  we  know  that  John  the  Baptist  was  a 
humble  man? 

Study  Topics 

1.  Circumstances  Which  Demand  Courage  in  Boys 
and  Girls. 

2.  Duties  of  Which  We  can  Give  Faithful  Devotion. 
8.     The    Story    of    Little    Arthur    in    "Tom    Brown's 

School  Days  "  as  an  Illustration  of  Moral  Courage. 


52      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

4.  How  Tom  Brown  Showed  Moral  Cowardice. 

5.  What  Should  be  the  Attitude  of  a  Christian  Boy 
or  Girl  Toward  Children  of  Foreign  or  Colored  Par- 
entage ? 

6.  Is  It  Right  to  Use  Such  Names  as  "  Sheeny," 
"Dago,"  or  "Hunkie?" 

7.  Find  the  Meaning  of  the  Following  Words  in  the 
Dictionary  and  Write  Sentences  Using  them  Correctly : 
Democracy,  Duplicity,  Sincerity,  Humility,  Courageous, 
Fidelity. 

8.  Qualities   of   Character    Found    in    Great    Persons. 

I.  Abraham  Lincoln. 

9.  Qualities   of   Character    Found   in    Great    Persons. 

II.  Frances  Willard. 

10.  Qualities  of  Character  Found  in  Great  Persons. 
HI.  Martin  Luther. 

The  Law  of  Morai,  Courage: 

Moral  courage  is  essential  to  true  manhood  and  true 
womanhood.  Without  it  little  of  real  value  can  be  ac- 
complished in  life.     Therefore : 

1.  We  will  not  be  afraid  to  defend  that  which  is  right 
and  true  even  though  we  must  stand  alone. 

2.  We  will  not  be  afraid  to  do  the  right  at  all  times 
even  though  others  do  evil  and  laugh  at  us  for  doing  the 
right, 

3.  We  will  not  be  afraid  to  own  our  allegiance  to 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  Church  at  any  time  and  in  any  com- 
pany. 


CHAPTER  V 

JESUS  MAKING  READY  FOR  HIS  GREAT  TASK 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  BAPTISM  AND  TEMTTATION  OF  JESUS 
Matt.  3:13  to  4:11 

John  the  Baptist  had  not  been  preaching  many  weeks 
before  rumors  concerning  the  new  prophet  reached 
Nazareth.  Like  all  other  parts  of  Palestine  the  quiet 
town  on  the  Galilean  hills  was  deeply  strrred  by  reports 
that  John  was  proclaiming  the  immediate  coming  of  the 
Kingdom  of  heaven.  For  hundreds  of  years  there  had 
been  no  prophet  in  Israel,  but  now  one  had  at  last  ap- 
peared. The  masses  of  the  Jewish  people  were  quickly 
convinced  that  John  the  Baptist  was  a  true  prophet.  His 
manner  of  life,  his  courageous  denunciation  of  the  shams 
and  the  sins  of  the  time,  and  his  message  calling  for  re- 
pentance, all  helped  to  mark  him  as  one  of  that  heroic 
line  of  men  who  had  so  often  appeared  in  the  crises  of 
Hebrew  history. 

Jesus  Comes  to  the  Jordan  to  Be  Baptized.  Matt.  3  :13. 
The  people  of  Galilee  went  in  large  numbers  to  hear 
John  and  to  be  baptized  by  him.  The  Galileans  were 
generally  deeply  religious.  They  were  not  so  coldly 
formal  as  the  Jews  of  Jerusalem  and  had  more  zeal  for 
that  kind  of  religion  for  which  the  prophets  had  striven. 
So  we  may  believe  that  the  number  of  people  who  went 
out  from  Galilee  to  hear  John  and  to  be  baptized  by  him 
was  especially  large.  Peter  and  John  perhaps  others  who 
afterward  became  disciples  of  Jesus  became  disciples  of 
John. 

When  the  people  of  Nazareth  went  to  hear  John,  Jesus 
went  also.  Perhaps  he  knew  that  he  was  leaving  the 
peaceful  home  at  Nazareth  never  again  to  make  it  his 
permanent  abiding  place.    He  had  come  to  know  the  hol- 

53 


54      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

lowness  of  the  religious  life  of  that  time.  He  probably 
knew  that  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  and  the  priests 
would  not  respond  enthusiastically  to  the  appeal  of  a  true 
religion,  spiritual-minded  and  wide  in  its  sympathies. 

John's  Protest  and  Jesus'  Reply.  Matt.  3:14,  15. 
When  John  was  baptizing  the  people  one  day,  Jesus  also 
came  and  presented  himself  for  baptism.  John  felt  that 
it  would  not  be  a  fitting  thing  for  him  to  baptize  Jesus. 
He  said  with  his  usual  humility,  "  I  have  need  to  be 
baptized  of  thee,  and  comest  thou  to  me?"  Jesus  may 
have  expected  some  such  protest  from  John,  for  he  had 
evidently  thought  over  the  matter  and  decided  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  be  baptized  just  as  the  rest  of  the  people 
were.  Jesus  had  no  sins  of  his  own  to  confess,  but  by 
being  baptized  he  showed  that  he  was  supporting  John 
in  his  work  and  by  the  power  of  his  example  he  doubt- 
less helped  many  others  to  take  the  same  step,  that  is,  to 
be  baptized  and  to  become  followers  of  John  in  his  efforts 
to  prepare  for  the  Kingdom  of  heaven.  If  we  are  truly 
kind  and  unselfish,  we  will  often  do  things  that  are  not 
necessary  for  our  own  selves  but  which  are  helpful  to 
other  people. 

The  Opening  Heavens  and  the  Descending  Spirit. 
Matt.  3  :16,  1?.  The  baptism  of  Jesus  was  for  him  the 
occasion  of  a  wonderful  spiritual  experience.  Matthew 
says : 

"  And  Jesus,  when  he  was  baptized,  went  up  straightway  from 
the  water:  and  lo,  the  heavens  were  opened  unto  him,  and  he  saw 
the  Spirit  of  God  descending  as  a,  dove,  and  coming  upon  him; 
and  lo,  a  voice  out  of  the  heavens,  saying.  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." — Matt.  3:16,  17. 

Luke  tells  us  that  this  vision  and  voice  from  heaven  came 
to  Jesus  as  he  was  praying.  Perhaps  Jesus  thus  gained  a 
clearer  and  more  certain  knowledge  of  his  relationship 
to  God  and  his  tasks  as  the  Messiah. 

Alone  in  the  Deserts.  Matt.  4 :1,  2.  Immediately  fol- 
lowing his  baptism  Jesus  went  away  into  the  wilderness. 
The  lonely  desert  mountain  of  Quarantana  is  pointed  out 
to-day  as  the  place  to  which  Jesus  went.  This  may  not 
be  the  exact  place  but  it  is  probably  much  like  the  coun- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       55 

try  where  Jesus  lived  for  forty  days  immediately  after 
his  baptism.  Jesus  went  away  so  that  he  could  be  alone 
and  could  think  about  his  great  task  as  the  Messiah. 
We  know  that  from  this  time  on  he  was  sure  that  he  was 
God's  Son  sent  to  be  the  world's  Saviour.  He  had  come 
out  into  the  deserts  not  only  to  think  but  also  to  talk 
with  God  in  prayer.  We  shall  see  that  he  often  spent 
whole  nights  in  prayer  and  we  may  be  sure  that  he  went 
into  the  wilderness  to  pray.  Mark  tells  us  that  during 
the  forty  days  in  the  wilderness,  Jesus  was  "  with  the 
wild  beasts." 

But  there  was  another  presence  near  the  Master  dur- 
ing all  these  days.  That  presence  was  not  a  wild  creature 
of  the  deserts  but  that  spirit  of  evil,  the  Tempter,  who 
is  ever  seeking  the  souls  of  men  to  destroy  them.  The 
New  Testament  tells  us  that  Jesus  was  "  led  up  of  the 
Spirit  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  of  the  devil." 
In  that  lonely  spot  in  Palestine  a  forty  day's  battle  raged. 
It  was  a  more  important  battle  than  Waterloo,  or  Gettys- 
burg, for  the  issue  of  the  conflict  was  the  eternal  destiny 
of  all  mankind. 

Tempted  to  Use  His  Power  for  His  Own  Comfort  and 
Safety.  Matt.  4:3,4.  Jesus  probably  told  his  disciples 
about  his  experiences  during  those  forty  days  in  the 
wilderness  when  he  wrestled  with  the  suggestions  of  the 
Tempter.  We  do  not  know  in  how  many  different  ways 
the  Ternpter  tried  to  ensnare  Jesus.  Luke  says  that  the 
temptation  extended  through  the  entire  forty  days,  but 
the  three  temptations  concerning  which  we  are  given  in- 
formation seem  to  have  occurred  at  the  close  of  the 
period  of  fasting. 

Having  fasted  for  forty  days  Jesus  must  have  been  in 
very  great  need  of  food,  in  fact  ready  to  perish  from 
starvation.  Now  when  people  are  starving  for  food,  they 
will  often  do  almost  anything  to  satisfy  their  terrible 
hunger.  The  weakening  of  the  body  tends  to  weaken 
the  will  power;  at  the  same  time,  the' body's  demand  for 
food  becomes  more  and  more  insistent.  One  of  the  rea- 
sons why  we  believe  that  there  is  an  evil  mind  lying 
back  of  our  temptations  is  the  fact  that  temptations  are 
apt  to  come  at  a  time  and  in  a  way  which  makes  it  hard 


56      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

for  us  to  resist  them.  They  often  have  every  appearance 
of  being  perfectly  harmless.  It  was  thus  with  the  first 
temptation  of  Jesus  of  which  we  have  record. 

All  about  Jesus  on  the  desert  were  scattered  stones. 
Some  of  them  were  round  and  flat,  looking  very  much 
like  the  loaves  of  bread  used  in  Palestine.  Into  the  mind 
of  Jesus  the  Tempter  sent  the  thought,  "  If  thou  art  the 
Son  of  God,  command  that  these  stones  become  bread." 
Just  a  little  while  before  Jesus  had  heard  God's  voice 
saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son."  He  knew  that  as 
God's  Son  he  had  limitless  power.  Why  suffer  here  with 
the  pangs  of  hunger  when  by  a  word  he  could  have  bread? 
Why  run  the  risk  of  fainting  and  dying  in  the  wilder- 
ness? 

Why  would  it  have  been  wrong  for  Jesus  to  turn  the 
stones  into  bread?  It  is  a  little  hard  for  us  to  see  just 
why,  until  we  study  the  matter  carefully.  That  is  where 
Jesus  showed  his  great  wisdom  and  his  great  loyalty  to 
God  and  right.  He  detected  just  a  little  danger,  just  a 
shade  of  wrong,  in  the  suggestion.  The  greatest  evils  in 
the  world  grow  from  very  small  beginnings.  If  we  can 
detect  these  beginnings  and  refuse  them,  we  shall  never 
do  the  great  acts  of  wickedness  to  wdiich  they  lead.  Per- 
haps the  wrong  was  just  this  :  If  Jesus  had  used  his  power 
to  escape  discomfort  and  danger  on  this  occasion,  he 
would  doubtless  have  done  so  again.  The  policy  of  us- 
ing his  power  thus  would  have  become  established.  But 
as  we  study  his  life  we  shall  see  that  he  could  not  have 
carried  out  such  a  policy  and  accomplished  at  the  same 
time  his  mission.  The  time  was  coming  when  with  un- 
limited power  at  his  command  he  must  submit  to 
ignominy  and  death  and  not  call  on  the  "  twelve  legions 
of  angels  "  waiting  to  give  him  succor.  Recognizing  this 
danger  in  the  principle  underlying  the  proposed  course 
of  action,  Jesus  firmly  said,  "  No,"  to  the  temptation. 

Tempted  to  Use  His  Power  for  Display.  Matt.  4  :5-7. 
The  Jewish  people  were  expecting  the  Messiah  to  make 
some  great  display  of  his  power  when  he  came.  They  be- 
lieved that  he  would  thus  prove  to  the  satisfaction  of  all 
that  he  was  the  One  whom  the  nation  was  expecting. 
The  Tempter  used  this  fact  to  attempt  a  second  time  to 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       57 

entangle  Jesus  in  eviL  He  suggested  a  trip  to  the  Temple 
in  Jerusalem.  Why  not  climb  to  the  highest  tower  of 
the  Temple  and  leap  off  before  the  assembled  thousands 
on  one  of  the  great  feast  days  and  by  coming  down  to 
earth  unhurt  prove  to  all  the  people  that  he  was  the  Mes- 
siah? Certain  predictions  of  the  prophets  and  in  the 
Psalms  seemed  to  indicate  that  the  Messiah  would  give 
some  such  exhibition  of  his  powers.    . 

Jesus  saw  in  this  thought  also,  traces  of  evil.  Perhaps 
he  knew  that  such  a  method  could  never  bring  about  true 
faith  in  the  hearts  of  the  people.  Those  who  were  to  be- 
come true  followers  of  the  Messiah  must  believe  in  him 
because  their  hearts  responded  to  his  goodness,  his  gentle- 
ness, and  his  truth,  and  not  because  their  minds  were 
amazed  by  his  powers  as  a  wonder-Avorker.  So  Jesus  re- 
fused the  second  suggestion  also. 

Tempted  to  Use  His  Power  in  a  Worldly  Way  to  Gain 
Worldly  Dominion.  Matt.  4:8-11.  In  the  majestic 
words  of  Matthew  we  read : 

"  Again,  the  devil  taketh  him  unto  an  exceeding  high  moun- 
tain, and  showeth  him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and  the 
glory  of  them;  and  he  said  unto  him,  All  these  things  will  I  give 
thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me." 

This  last  of  the  three  temptations  of  Jesus  was  evi- 
dently a  suggestion  that  he  use  the  ways  of  the  world  to 
make  himself  master  of  the  nations.  With  his  divine 
powders,  Jesus  could  have  conquered  the  world  by  force. 
This  was  exactly  what  most  of  the  Jews  were  expecting 
the  Messiah  to  do.  But  Jesus  saw  that  no  permanent, 
happy,  and  lasting  kingdom  could  be  set  up  on  earth  in 
that  way.  He  recognized  the  suggestion  as  coming  from 
the  Tempter  and  answered  it  with  a  stern,  "  Get  thee 
hence,  Satan."  Jesus  had  conquered  every  temptation 
and  his  soul  felt  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  as 
they  ministered  unto  him. 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  Christ  Tempted 
by  Satan,  by  Cornicelius  (Wilde  547,  Bailey,  page  131)  ; 


58      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The  Baptism  of  Christ,  by  Perugino  (Wilde  255)  ;  Christ 
and  the  Fishermen,  by  Zimmermann  (Perry  1101,  Bailey, 
page  144). 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

FIRST  ACQUAINTANCE  WITH  THOSE  WHO  WERE  TO 
BECOME  HIS  DISCIPLES 

John  1 :35  to  2  :12 

The  great  leaders  and  reformers  of  history  have  made 
their  work  permanent  and  insured  its  growth  by  gather- 
ing about  themselves  disciples.  These  disciples  have 
gone  about  winning  others  to  the  support  of  the  prin- 
ciples taught  them  by  their  master.  Jesus  began  his 
great  task  in  the  same  humble  manner.  AVe  have  seen 
how  he  refused  to  cast  himself  from  the  pinnacle  of  the 
Temple  in  an  attempt  to  win  the  multitudes  in  a  whole- 
sale manner  by  the  acts  of  a  wonder-worker.  We  shall 
learn  in  this  lesson  how  simply  and  naturally  the  great 
work  of  making  the  whole  world  Christian  began. 

Two  Fishermen  Who  Became  Disciples  of  John  the 
Baptist.  John  1 :35-37.  The  Sea  of  Galilee  is  in  many 
ways  strikingly  different  from  the  Dead  Sea.  Whereas 
the  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea  are  so  full  of  salt  and  other 
chemicals  that  they  are  almost  without  life  of  any  kind, 
the  pure  and  sparkling  waters  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee 
abound  with  fish.  In  the  days  of  Jesus  fishing  was  one 
of  the  leading  industries  among  the  people  living  around 
the  lake.  Among  these  fishermen  of  Galilee  were  two 
young  men,  one  of  whom  was  named  John  and  the 
other  was  named  Andrew.  Both  of  these  young  men 
heard  about  the  preaching  of  John  the  Baptist  and  went 
out  into  the  wilderness  to  hear  him.  Both  were  stirred 
by  his  messages  concerning  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
They  were  baptized  and  became  disciples  of  John. 

One  day  these  two  disciples  were  standing  in  a  cer- 
tain place  and  Jesus  passed  by  them.  When  John  the 
Baptist  saAv  Jesus,  he  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Behold,  the 
Lamb  of  God."  The  disciples  knew  very  well  what 
^heir  leader  meant  by  these  words.     You  will  remember 


INTERMHDIATIC  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      59 

that  John  had  preached  al)oiit  the  IMessiah.  He  had 
said  that  he  would  thoroughly  cleanse  the  threshing 
floor,  burning  up  the  chafif  with  unquenchable  fire.  He 
had  said  that  the  ax  was  already  lying  at  the  roots  of 
the  trees  and  that  every  useless  tree  would  be  hewn 
down.  His  brief  acquaintance  with  Jesus  seemed  to 
have  changed  John's  ideas  somewhat.  He  had  come  to 
think  of  the  Messiah  not  so  much  as  a  destroying  fire  as 
a  meek  and  gentle  Lamb  who  should  take  away  the  sin 
of  the  world. 

A  Day  of  Fellowship  with  Jesus.  John  1:38-40.  In 
his  writings  John,  the  disciple,  tells  us  about  the  day  he 
first  met  Jesus.  John  and  Andrew  followed  Jesus  along 
the  path  after  their  master,  John  the  Baptist,  had 
pointed  him  out  and  called  him  "  the  Lamb  of  God." 
When  Jesus  turned  around,  he  saw  two  men  following 
him  and  he  said  to  them  kindly,  ''What  seek  ye?"  The 
future  disciples  answered  timidly,  "  Rabbi,  where  abid- 
est  thou?"  We  can  feel  a  tone  of  good-natured  humor 
in  the  kindly  spoken  invitation  of  Jesus,  "  Come,  and  ye 
shall  see."  So  the  two  went  home  Avith  Jesus  that  day ; 
that  is,  the}^  went  to  the  place  which  Jesus  was  making 
his  home  since  he  had  left  Nazareth.  It  may  have  been 
only  a  rough  booth  made  of  branches.  When  John,  the 
disciple,  wrote  the  verses  which  we  are  studying  in  this 
lesson,  he  was  probably  an  old  man  nearly  a  hundred 
years  old.  But  he  remembered  the  exact  time  of  day 
when  he  first  met  Jesus  so  long  ago.  He  says,  "  It  was 
about  the  tenth  hour." 

We  do  not  know  what  Jesus  and  John  and  Andrew 
talked  about  that  day,  but  it  was  probably  about  the 
Kingdom  which  Jesus  had  come  to  establish.  They 
must  have  been  deeply  impressed  by  their  first  visit  with 
Jesus  for  they  went  out  to  tell  others  that  they  had 
found  the  Messiah. 

The  First  Followers  of  Jesus  Go  Out  and  Find  Others. 
John  1:41-51.  Andrew  after  his  visit  with  Jesus  went 
at  once  and  found  his  brother  Simon  and  said  to  him, 
"  We  have  found  the  Messiah."  Then  he  brought  Simon 
to  Jesus  and  we  know  that  Jesus  accepted  Simon  as  a 
disciple  for  he  gave  him  a  new  name,  as  a  sign  that  he 


60      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

was  to  enter  upon  a  new  and  important  undertaking. 
It  was  customary  among  the  Jews,  as  it  has  been  among 
many  other  peoples,  to  give  a  person  a  new  name  at 
some  important  event.  So  Jesus  told  Simon  that  -hence- 
forth his  name  should  be  Peter. 

The  next  day  Peter  found  his  friend  Philip  and 
brought  him  to  Jesus.  Philip  lived  in  Bethsaida,  the 
same  village  in  which  Andrew  and  Peter  lived.  When 
Jesus  saw  Philip,  he  said  to  him,  "  Follow  me."  Thus 
without  any  ceremony  but  in  the  simplest  possible  way, 
Philip  became  a  disciple  of  Jesus. 

That  very  day,  Philip  went  out  and  found  one  of  his 
friends  named  Nathanael  and  said  to  him,  "  We  have 
found  him,  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets, 
wrote,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  son  of  Joseph.  Now  Na- 
thanael lived  in  Cana,  just  a  little  way  from  Nazareth. 
Perhaps  the  two  towns  were  not  on  very  friendly  terms, 
for  Nazareth  does  not  seem  to  have  stood  very  high 
in  the  esteem  of  Nathanael.  He  said,  to  his  friend, 
"  Can  any  good  thing  come  out  of  Nazareth  ?"  Philip 
answered  enthusiastically,  ''  Come  and  see."  When 
Jesus  saw  Nathanael  he  knew  just  what  kind  of  man  he 
was.  We  shall  see  that  Jesus  had  a  wonderful  power  to 
read  character.  He  said  to  his  disciples  as  Nathanael 
drew  near,  "  Behold,  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  is 
no  guile !"  Nathanael  was  greatly  surprised  at  the  wis- 
dom manifested  by  Jesus  and  quickly  came  to  believe 
that  Jesus  was  the  Messianic  King. 

Jesus  at  a  Wedding  Feast.  John  2  :1-11.  It  was  only 
a  few  days  after  this  that  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were 
invited  to  a  wedding  festival  in  the  town  of  Cana.  Jesus 
now  had  five  disciples  and  it  was  this  little  group  of  men 
who  went  with  him,  to  Cana.  The  wedding  was  proba- 
bly in  a  family  Avell  known  to  Jesus  and  his  relatives  in 
Nazareth,  for  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  was  one  of 
the  women  who  had  charge  of  the  wedding  supper. 

It  was  at  this  wedding  that  Jesus  performed  his  first 
miracle.  In  the  midst  of  the  festival  Mary  and  the  other 
women  were  filled  with  embarrassment  and  dismay  to 
find  that  there  was  no  more  wine.  Not  to  have  wine 
enough  for  the  guests  would  be  considered  a  disgrace. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       61 

The  troubled  mother  of  Jesus  came  to  her  Son  and  told 
him  the  circumstances.  Perhaps  she  had  learned  to 
trust  him  at  such  times  because  he  always  knew  what  to 
do  in  times  of  difficulty. 

We  have  seen  in  our  last  lesson  how  Jesus  refused 
to  perform  a  miracle  for  his  own  relief  when  he  was  in 
great  personal  distress  and  his  life  possibly  in  danger. 
But  here  was  an  opportunity  to  use  his  miraculous  power 
to  help  another  person  in  trouble  and  that  person  was 
his  mother.  We  like  to  think  that  the  first  time  Jesus 
used  that  wonderful  power  which  he  possessed  as  the 
Son  of  God,  he  used  it  to  save  his  mother  from  em- 
barrassment and  sorrow.  Jesus  avoided  any  display. 
He  gave  directions  as  to  how  the  water  was  to  be 
poured  from  one  jar  to  another,  and  when  it  had  be- 
come wine  he  told  the  servants  to  carry  it  to  the  ruler 
of  the  feast.  Apparently  Jesus,  his  mother,  his  disciples, 
and  a  few  others  were  the  only  people  present  who  knew 
that  anything  unusual  had  taken  place. 

Jesus  and  His  Family  Move  Down  to  Capernaum. 
John  2 :12.  Soon  after  the  miracle  at  Cana,  Jesus,  his 
mother,  and  the  other  members  of  the  family  left  their 
home  in  Nazareth  and  came  down  to  a  town  called 
Capernaum  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Capernaum  is  to- 
day only  a  heap  of  ruins,  if,  indeed,  anyone  can  say  just 
which  rock  pile  marks  the  place  where  the  city  once 
stood.  But  in  the  days  of  Jesus  it  was  a  thriving  city. 
The  low  fertile  lands  along  the  Sea  of  Galilee  were 
densely  populated.  Perhaps  Jesus  had  come  down  to 
Capernaum  in  order  to  be  near  the  center  of  the  terri- 
tory in  which  he  expected  to  labor.  The  disciples  of 
Jesus  also  went  with  him  to  Capernaum  and  they  were 
now  with  him  much  of  the  time.  The  time  had  not  yet 
come,  however,  for  them  to  leave  their  work  and  give 
all  their  time  to  being  with  Jesus.  So  we  shall  learn  in 
another  lesson  how  Jesus  called  them  away  from  their 
fishing  that  they  might  become  fishers  of  men. 

Thh  Lksson  Prayer 
We  are  grateful  our  Father  in  heaven,  for  the  beauti- 
ful story  of  Jesus,  thy  Son.    Help  us  to  study  the  lessons 


62      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

in  the  Bible  which  tell  us  about  him  so  that  we  may 
know  just  how  pure  and  brave  and  kind  he  was.  When 
we  are  tempted  to  do  anything  that  is  wrong,  help  us 
to  remember  Jesus  and  in  remembering  him  may  we  be 
victorious  over  every  temptation.  Help  us  to  conquer 
selfishness.  Help  us  to  be  sincere  and  simple  in  orir 
manners,  putting  away  false  pride  and  the  love  of  dis- 
play. We  ask  thee  to  help  us  to  be  worthily  ambitious. 
We  would  be  of  service  to  thee  and  to  thy  Son  all  the 
days  of  our  lives.  We  would  be  true  disciples  of  thy 
Son,  our  Teacher  and  Friend.     Amen. 


Tut  Lksson  Hymn 

O  Master,  let  me  walk  with  thee 

In  lowly  paths  of  service  free; 
Tell  me  thy  secret;  help  me  bear 

The  strain  of  toil,  the  fret  of  care. 

Help  me  the  slow  of  heart  to  move 
By  some  clear  winning  word  of  love; 

Teach  me  the  wayward  feet  to  stay, 
And  guide  them  in  the  homeward  way. 

"  The  Hymnal  Revised,"  No.  196. 
See  also  No.  192  in  the  same  book. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

RECRUITING  FOR  THE  KINGDOM 

Matt.  13:31-33 

We  have  been  studying  in  the  week-day  session  and 
in  the  Sunday  session  of  the  church  school  about  the 
beginnings  of  Jesus'  great  task  as  the  Messiah  and 
Saviour.  We  have  seen  how  he  began  with  two  disciples 
who  had  been  disciples  of  John  the  Baptist.  In  a  few 
days  the  number  of  disciples  had  been  increased  to  five 
by  the  activities  and  testimonies  of  these  first  followers 
of  Jesus  among  their  relatives  and  acquaintances. 
Jesus  knew  that  it  was  best  for  his  work  to  begin  as  it 
did,  for  in  our  Scripture  lesson  for  this  session  we  have 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      63 

two  brief  parables  which  teach  us  that  the  Kingdom 
which  Jesus  had  come  to  establish  was  to  begin  and 
grow  in  just  the  way  the  work  of  Jesus  had  begun.  The 
Kingdom  was  to  be  very  small  at  first,  as  small  as  a 
grain  of  mustard  seed,  but  it  was  to  be  a  living,  grow- 
ing, and  expanding  power.  It  was  to  grow  as  the  leaven 
grows  in  meal  by  the  contact  of  little  particles  of  meal 
with  one  another  in  the  mass  of  meal  which  was  to  be- 
come bread.  Andrew  found  his  own  brother  Simon  and 
brought  him  to  Jesus  and  the  leaven  of  the  Kingdom  be- 
gan with  that  event. 

God  has  made  it  possible  for  every  Christian  boy  and 
girl  to  have  an  important  part  in  setting  up  his  King- 
dom in  the  world.  There  are  some  things  which  they 
can  do  better  than  anyone  else.  Sometimes  a  boy  can 
get  his  chum  to  go  to  Sunday  school  when  nobody  else 
can.  Do  you  know  how  many  children  and  young 
people  in  our  country  are  not  enrolled  in  any  Sunday 
school?  There  are  over  twenty-seven  millions  of  them. 
The  number  in  each  state  is  shown  in  the  map  on  page 
64.  Do  you  know  what  our  greatest  force  for  getting 
these  children  and  youth  into  our  Sunday  schools  is? 
It  is  not  the  pastors  of  our  churches,  because  we  have 
only  a  few  thousand  of  them  and  they  have  so  many 
other  duties  that  they  cannot  do  more  than  a  small  part 
of  this  great  task.  Our  Sunday-school  missionaries  help, 
but  they  also  are  few  in  number.  Our  greatest  force 
for  getting  these  spiritually  untaught  children  into  our 
Sunday  schools  and  church  schools  is  the  army  of  boys 
and  girls  already  in  Sunday  school.  If  each  boy  and 
girl  and  young  person  in  Sunday  school  could  bring  in 
one  other  child  or  young  person  in  a  year,  there  would 
not  be  many  left  outside  at  the  end  of  the  twelve 
months.  The  aim  of  this  lesson  is  to  help  you  to  do  this. 
You  can,  if  you  will,  be  like  Andrew  and  Peter  and  Philip. 
You  can  be  a  recruiting  agent  for  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

BlBI.^  Vkrsks 

Matt.  28:19,  20:  Luke  14:23;  Matt.  19:14;  II  Tim. 
4:5;  2:15;  Acts  1:8. 


64      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      65 

Review  Questions 

1.  Why  did  Jesus  wish  to  be  baptized? 

2.  Why  did  Jesus  go  away  into  the  deserts  after  his 
baptism? 

3.  What  temptations  came  to  Jesus  and  how  did  he 
overcome  them? 

4.  Who  were  the  first  disciples  and  how  did  they  be- 
come followers  of  Jesus? 

5.  Tell  the  story  of  Jesus'  first  miracle. 

Study  Topics 

1.  How  a  Knowledge  of  the  Bible  Helps  Us  Over- 
come Temptation. 

2.  The   W^ork  of  a   Sunday-School   Missionarv. 

3.  Why  a  Boy  or  Girl  Should  Attend  Sunday  School. 

4.  Vacation  Bible  Schools :  Their  Purpose  and  Their 
Plans. 

5.  Week-Day  Church  Schools :  Their  Value  and 
Their  Forms. 

CoMAiiTTEE  Work 

Survey  Committee.  To  report  on  the  number  of  boys 
and  girls  from  six  years  of  age  to  fifteen  years  of  age 
who  are  not  enrolled  in  any  Sunday  school  or  like  edu- 
cational institution  in  our  community. 

Invitations  Cornmittee.  To  call  on  all  boys  and  girls 
who  are  not  attending  any  church  school  and  invite 
them  to  come  to  the  social  meetings  and  regular  class 
recitations  of  this  school. 

Social  Committee.  To  plan  for  a  social  to  which  all 
boys  and  girls  found  by  the  Survey  Committee  to  be 
not  enrolled  in  Sunday  school  may  be  invited. 

The  Law  oe  Loyalty  to  the  Church  School 
The  educational  work,  of  the  church   is  of  great   im- 
portance in  the  task  of  spreading  the  teachings  of  Jesus 
throughout  the  world  and  in  building  up  the  Kingdom 
of  God  on  earth.     Therefore : 


66      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

1.  We  will  manifest  our  loyalty  to  the  school  of  the 
church  by  being  regular  and  prompt  in  our  attendance. 

2.  We  will  do  our  tasks  with  diligence  and  faithful- 
ness. 

3.  We  will  seek  to  recruit  new  members  for  the 
church  school  by  inviting  our  friends  and  companions 
and  by  any  other  means  which  the  Committee  on  Invi- 
tations desire. 


CHAPTER  VI 

JESUS  BEGINNING  HIS  MINISTRY 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  DAY  IN  THE  LIFE  OF  JESUS 
Mark  1:14-39;  Luke  5:1-11 

When  Jesus  came  back  to  Galilee  from  Judea,  where 
he  had  been  preaching  and  his  disciples  had  been  bap- 
tizing, he  had  finished  what  Bible  students  call  "  The 
Early  Judean  Ministry."  He  had  begun  what  is  called 
"  The  Galilean  Ministry."  There  are  two  events  of  The 
Early  Judean  Ministry  which  we  shall  take  up  in  a  les- 
son on  the  methods  Jesus  used  to  reach  people  with  his 
message  of  truth.  These  two  events  are  the  conversa- 
tion which  Jesus  had  with  Nicodemus  and  his  talk  with 
the  woman  of  Samaria. 

The  Wonderful  Draft  of  Fishes.  Luke  5:1-11.  We 
have  seen  that  when  Jesus  began  his  work  in  Galilee 
he  had  five  disciples.  These  five  disciples  still  spent  a 
part  of  their  time  in  fishing  but  they  were  with  Jesus 
much  of  the  time.  One  day  Jesus  was  with  his  disciples 
in  a  boat  and  under  his  direction  they  let  down  their 
nets  into  the  sea.  When  they  tried  to  pull  in  the  nets, 
they  found  them  full  of  fish.  Perhaps  there  were  more 
fish  in  the  nets  than  the  disciples  had  ever  caught  at  one 
time  before.  Moreover,  they  had  been  fishing  all  that 
day  and  up  to  that  time  had  caught  nothing.  The  num- 
ber of  fish  caught  was  so  great  that  all  the  disciples  were 
amazed.  They  felt  that  the  wonderful  catch  was  due  to 
the  power  and  presence  of  Jesus.  Simon  Peter  seems 
to  have  been  especially  impressed.  In  the  presence  of 
one  so  strong  and  pure,  he  remembered  the  many  wrong 
things  he  had  done.  He  fell  down  before  Jesus  and  said, 
"  Depart  from   me ;  for  I   am   a   sinful   man,   O   Lord." 

67 


68       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Then  Jesus  told  them  that  soon  they  were  to  leave  their 
nets  and  become  fishers  of  men. 

The  Fishermen  Called  to  Become  Fishers  of  Men. 
Mark  1 :14-20.  When  the  time  came  for  the  disciples  to 
give  all  their  time  to  being  with  Jesus  as  his  helpers  and 
as  students  in  his  school,  Jesus  called  them  away  from 
their  former  work.  One  day  Jesus  was  walking  along 
the  shores  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  he  saw  Simon  and 
Andrew  casting  their  nets  into  the  sea.  He  called  to 
them  and  said,  "  Come  ye  after  me,  and  I  will  make  you 
to  become  fishers  of  men."  Perhaps  the  disciples  had 
been  expecting  some  such  call,  for  immediately  they 
left  their  nets  and  followed  him. 

Going  on  a  little  farther  Jesus  saw  James  and  John, 
with  their  father  Zebedee.  These  three  with  some  hired 
servants  were  sitting  in  a  boat  mending  their  nets.  Jesus 
called  James  and  John  just  as  he  had  called  Peter  and 
Andrew,  and  the  two  brothers  came  at  once,  leaving 
their  father  and  the  servants  in  the  boat.  The  addition 
of  James  to  the  company  of  the  disciples  increased  their 
number  to  six.  Busy  days  were  now  beginning  for 
Jesus  and  his  disciples.  Mark  gives  us  a  description  of 
one  day  in  the  life  of  Jesus  which  shows  us  how  dili- 
gently he  labored  at  his  great  task.  We  shall  now  con- 
sider some  of  the  events  in  this  story  of  a  day  in  the 
life  of  Jesus. 

The  Morning  Service  in  the  Synagogue.  Mark  1 :21- 
28.  It  was  the  Sabbath  and  Jesus  with  his  six  disciples 
went  to  the  religious  service  in  the  synagogue.  Jesus 
had  been  a  reader,  as  you  will  remember,  in  his  home 
synagogue  at  Nazareth.  Moreover,  he  was  becoming 
well  known  as  a  religious  teacher  in  Capernaum.  So  he 
was  asked  to  speak  in  the  service  that  Sabbath  morning. 
The  people  were  astonished  at  his  teaching  because  his 
methods  were  so  different  from  those  of  the  rabbis. 
They  expressed  no  opinion  of  their  own  but  the  opinions 
of  those  who  had  lived  many  centuries  before  them  and 
whom  they  regarded  as  great  teachers.  Jesus  "  taught 
as  one  having  authority,"  that  is,  he  gave  his  own  state- 
ments as  to  matters  and  did  not  quote  from  the  ancient 
rabbis. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      69 

After  Jesus  had  been  speaking  for  a  time  there  was  an 
interruption.  There  was  a  man  in  the  synagogue  having 
"  an  unclean  spirit."  We  shall  find  these  demon- 
possessed  people  mentioned  often  in  the  New  Testament. 
They  were  evidently  not  merely  sick  or  insane  people, 
but  more  like  persons  suffering  from  what  psychologists 
have  called  "  divided  personality/'  or  "  deranged  per- 
sonality." They  felt  themselves  in  the  grip  of  a  power 
not  themselves.  This  demon-possessed  man  in  the 
Capernaum  synagogue  began  to  cry  out,  saying  to  Jesus, 
''What  have  we  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus  thou  Nazarene? 
art  thou  come  to  destroy  us?  I  know  thee  who  thou 
art,  the  Holy  One  of  God."  In  the  midst  of  the  con- 
fusion growing  out  of  the  demoniac's  interruption  of 
the  service,  Jesus  showed  his  mastery  over  both  the  cir- 
cumstances and  over  the  mysterious  power  of  evil 
within  the  life  of  the  demon-possessed  man.  "  Hold 
thy  peace,  and  come  out  of  him,"  said  Jesus.  There  was 
a  terrific  struggle  within  the  soul  of  the  demon- 
possessed  man  and  loud  protesting  outcries,  but  there 
Avas  obedience  to  the  Master's  command.  "  The  unclean 
spirit  .  .  .  came  out  of  him."  What  Jesus  had  done 
caused  amazement,  and  the  report  of  his  power  over  the 
unclean  spirits  soon  spread  over  all  Galilee  and  into  the 
surrounding  regions. 

A  Guest  in  the  House  of  Simon  Peter.  Mark  1 :29-31. 
After  the  service  in  the  synagogue,  Jesus  went  home 
with  Simon  Peter.  James  and  John  also  went  to  Peter's 
home.  There  was  sickness  in  the  house  for  Peter's 
mother-in-law  was  ill  of  a  serious  fever.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  sickness  of  his  wife's  mother,  and  with  the 
simple  hospitality  Avhich  has  ever  been  a  pleasing  trait 
of  the  common  people,  Peter  invited  his  friends  and  the 
Master  to  his  home.  It  was  well  that  he  did  so  for  the 
presence  of  Jesus  in  the  home  brought  to  it  a  great 
blessing.  On  entering  the  house  they  told  Jesus  about 
the  sick  woman  and  he  at  once  went  into  the  room 
where  she  lay  and,  taking  her  by  the  hand,  raised  her 
up,  and  the  fever  left  her.  She  was  so  completely  cured 
that  she  began  at  once  to  prepare  food  for  the  company. 

A  Sunset  Scene  in  Capernaum.     Mark  1:32-34.     The 


70      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

report  of  how  Jesus  had  healed  the  demoniac  in  the  syna- 
gogue and  the  woman  stricken  with  fever  in  her  home 
spread  rapidly  through  Capernaum  and  the  surround- 
ing country.  In  many  a  home  where  there  was  some 
loved  one  stricken  by  sickness  or  tormented  by  the 
strange  demon  possession,  new  hope  sprang  up  that  Sab- 
bath afternoon.  A  great  Healer  had  come  and  if  they 
could  only  bring  their  stricken  loved  ones  to  him,  they 
believed  he  would  make  them  well.  But  it  was  the  Sab- 
bath day  and  they  must  not  break  it  by  carrying  the  sick 
to  Simon's  house.  The  Jewish  Sabbath  began  at  sunset 
on  Friday  and  ended  at  sunset  on  Saturday.  So  all 
over  the  city  they  waited  for  the  sun  to  set.  The 
moment  the  sun  touched  the  Galilean  hills  west  of  Ca- 
pernaum they  began  to  come.  They  came  in  such  multi- 
tudes that  they  filled  the  streets.  Mark  says,  "  All  the 
city  was  gathered  together  at  the  door."  Perhaps  every 
sick  person  in  Capernaum  who  could  possibly  be  moved 
was  there  in  the  street  before  the  door  of  Peter's  house. 
Jesus  doubtless  labored  far  into  the  night  teaching  and 
healing.  Possibly  it  was  long  after  midnight  when  the 
last  of  the  sick  had  been  healed  and  had  gone  back 
home. 

Early  Morning  Prayer.  Mark  1 :35-39.  It  was  proba- 
bly very  late  before  Jesus  could  seek  rest  but  "  in  the 
morning,  a  great  while  before  day,  he  rose  up  and  went 
out,  and  departed  into  a  desert  place,  and  there  prayed." 
Jesus  had  evidently  risen  long  before  any  other  mem- 
bers of  the  household  were  awake,  for  no  one  knew 
where  he  had  gone.  Peter  and  the  other  disciples  went 
out  from  Capernaum  seeking  for  him.  When  they  found 
him  they  said,  "  All  are  seeking  thee."  But  Jesus 
answered,  "  Let  us  go  elsewhere  into  the  next  towns, 
that  I  may  preach  there  also;  for  to  this  end  came  I 
forth." 

Note;book  Work 
Suitable     pictures     for     the     notebook:     Miraculous 
Draft    of    Fishes,    by    Raphael,    (1585    Brown;    Bailey, 
page  141)  ;   Calling  the  Apostles  on   the   Lake  of  Gen- 
nesaret,  by  Ghirlandajo  (253  Wilde). 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      71 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  TWELVE  APOSTLES  CHOSEN  AND  TRAINED 
FOR  SERVICE 

Mark  2:1-27;  3:1-19;  Luke  6:12-19 

'We  have  seen  how  Jesus  gradually  gathered  about 
him  a  little  band  of  disciples.  When  he  came  back  into 
Galilee  after  his  first  preaching  tour  in  Judea  he  had 
five  disciples,  but  the  little  company  continued  to  grow. 
It  grew  just  as  it  had  at  the  beginning.  The  men  who 
had  become  disciples  told  their  friends  and  relatives 
about  Jesus  and  brought  them  to  see  Jesus.  Many  of 
these  friends  and  relatives  of  the  disciples  were  so  at- 
tracted by  the  preaching  and  the  personality  of  Jesus 
that  they,  too,  became  his  followers.  So  in  a  little  while 
there  came  to  be  a  large  number  of  disciples.  Luke  tells 
us  that,  at  one  time,  Jesus  selected  seventy  of  these  fol- 
lowers and  sent  them  out  to  preach  and  heal.  Luke 
10:1-20. 

A  Publican  Chosen  as  a  Disciple.  Mark  2:13,  14. 
One  day  as  Jesus  was  walking  by  the  seaside  he  saw  a 
certain  publican,  named  Levi,  sitting  at  his  desk  and  col- 
lecting taxes  from  the  people.  You  will  remember  that 
these  publicans,  or  taxgatherers,  were  hated  and  scorned 
by  nearly  all  of  the  Jews.  So  it  was  a  truly  remarkable 
thing  that  Jesus  did  when  he  said  to  this  publican,  "  Fol- 
low me."  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  Avould  never  have 
done  such  a  thing.  They  hated  and  despised  the  publi- 
cans as  a  class.  They  would  have  refused  to  be  associ- 
ated with  a  publican  in  any  way  whatsoever.  But  Jesus 
had  no  such  prejudice.  He  saw  in  Levi  great  possibili- 
ties. By  calling  him  away  from  his  unpopular  and 
morally  dangerous  occupation,  Jesus  saved  a  soul  which 
was  in  danger  of  going  far  astray,  if  it  had  not  already 
done  so.  Levi,  the  publican  became  Matthew  the 
apostle.  When  we  read  the  wonderful  Gospel  of  Mat- 
thew, we  should  remember  that  it  never  would  have 
been  written  if  Jesus  had  been  narrow  and  prejudiced 
like  practically  all  the  other  people  of  his  day.  It  is  to 
the   credit   of   the   other   disciples    that   they    welcomed 


72      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Matthew ;  at  least  they  do  not  seem  to  have  made  any 
objection  to  his  being  added  to  the  company. 

Carping  Criticism  and  Growing  Opposition.  When 
anyone  criticizes  some  one  else  just  for  the  sake  of 
finding  fault  and  not  in  a  spirit  of  kindness  and  help- 
fulness, we  call  such  criticism  carping  criticism.  Such 
criticism  is  not  honest.  It  finds  little  faults,  or  what  it 
considers  faults,  and  makes  great  things  out  of  them. 
It  does  not  seek  the  good  but  the  harm  of  the  person 
criticized.  Such  criticism  nearly  always  springs  from 
jealousy  and  envy,  two  of  the  meanest  and  most  dan- 
gerous feelings  anyone  can  ever  experience.  It  was  jeal- 
ousy and  envy  that  caused  the  Jewish  leaders  to  be- 
gin finding  fault  with  Jesus.  The  masses  of  the  com- 
mon people  cared  little  for  the  scribes  and  Pharisees. 
They  were  so  proud  and  exclusive  that  it  is  little  wonder 
that  they  were  disliked.  But  when  these  leaders  of  the 
Jewish  religion  saw  thousands  upon  thousands  crowd- 
ing around  to  hear  Jesus  preach,  or  even  to  get  a  sight 
of  him,  their  hearts  were  filled  with  jealousy.  Their 
selfish  envy  made  them  so  spiritually  blind  that  they 
could  not  see  the  good  that  Jesus  was  doing.  They 
could  not  see  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  his  character 
as  the  simple  Galilean  fisherman  had  seen  it.  They 
could  see  only  certain  acts  of  Jesus  which  their  dishon- 
est judgment  had  fixed  upon  as  faults.  Let  us  now  con- 
sider a  few  incidents  which  show  this  spirit  of  carping 
criticism  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  and  the  result- 
ing gradual  degradation  of  their  character. 

The  Paralytic  Who  Was  Lowered  Through  a  Hole  in 
the  Roof.  Mark  2  :1-12.  One  day  Jesus  was  preaching 
and  healing  in  Capernaum.  There  Avas  such  a  great 
crowd  that  it  completely  filled  the  street  in  front  of  the 
house  where  Jesus  was.  People  were  bringing  their 
sick  friends  and  relatives  to  Jesus.  After  a  time  four 
men  came  carrying  a  sick  man  on  a  litter.  Of  course 
they  could  not  get  through  the  crowd  with  such  a  burden, 
but  these  four  men  were  not  to  be  foiled  of  their  pur- 
pose. They  climbed  up  to  the  roof  of  the  house.  Pos- 
sibly they  found  a  place  at  the  rear  of  the  house  where 
there  were  not  so  many  people  and  so  reached  the  roof,  or 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       7i 

they  may  have  climbed  to  the  roof  of  some  other  house  a 
short  distance  away  and,  as  the  houses  were  close  to- 
gether, passed  from  roof  to  roof  until  they  reached  the 
house  where  Jesus  was.  There  they  found  a  spot  over  the 
room  in  which  Jesus  was  preaching  and  healing.  The 
roof  was  probably  made  of  clay  spread  over  rough 
boards  or  tiles  and  pressed  down  hard.  They  dug 
through  the  roof  and  made  a  hole  big  enough  to  let 
down  their  sick  friend.  We  are  told  that  "  Jesus  seeing 
their  faith  "  said  to  the  sick  man,  "  Son,  thy  sins  are  for- 
given." Perhaps  Jesus  saw  that  the  poor  fellow  was 
sorry  for  his  sins  and  wished  to  be  forgiven  for  them 
even  more  than  he  wished  to  be  healed.  Now  there 
were  certain  scribes  there  and  they  began  to  reason  "  in 
their  hearts,"  saying,  '*  Why  doth  this  man  thus  speak? 
he  blasphemeth."  Even  after  Jesus  had  healed  the  man 
and  he  had  taken  up  his  bed  and  gone  out,  these  Jewish 
leaders  could  not,  or  would  not,  see  anything  good  in 
what  Jesus  had  done. 

Eating  with  Publicans  and  Sinners.  Mark  2:15-17. 
It  Avas  not  long  before  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  found 
what  they  seized  upon  as  another  fault  in  Jesus.  After 
Levi  became  a  disciple,  he  made  a  kind  of  farewell  din- 
ner to  his  publican  friends,  or  perhaps  it  was  rather  a 
festival  in  honor  of  his  new  Master  and  Teacher.  At 
all  events,  many  of  Levi's  publican  friends  wxre  present. 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  invited  and  they  went.  To 
the  Jewish  leaders  this  was  a  great  scandal.  They  came 
to  the  disciples  of  Jesus  and  asked  how  it  was  that  their 
Master  was  eating  with  publicans  and  sinners.  Jesus 
overheard  their  question,  and  said  to  them,  "  They  that 
are  whole  have  no  need  of  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are  sick:  I  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners." 
A  more  perfect  answer  could  not  have  been  given. 

Jesus  and  His  Disciples  Condemned  for  Not  Fasting. 
Mark  2:18-22.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  Avere  keeping 
such  close  watch  on  Jesus  and  his  disciples  that  after  a 
while  they  detected  the  fact  that  Jesus  and  his  little 
company  did  not  fast  on  certain  days  as  the  Pharisees 
and  even  John's  disciples  were  accustomed  to  do.  So 
they  came  and  found  fault  on  this  score.    Their  question 


74      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

as  to  why  Jesus  and  his  disciples  did  not  fast  implied 
that  if  Jesus  was  a  really  righteous  leader  and  teacher, 
he  would  fast  himself  and  see  to  it  that  his  disciples 
did  so.  Jesus  told  them  that  he  and  his  disciples  were 
having  such  a  happy  time  together  that  they  were  like 
a  bridal  party,  and  fasting  would  be  out  of  place  for 
them  at  the  present  time.  Then  he  added  with  a  tinge 
of  sadness,  ''The  days  will  come,  when  the  bridegroom 
shall  be  taken  away  from  them  ;"  then,  he  said,  his  dis- 
ciples would  fast.  These  words  of  Jesus  can  mean  noth- 
ing less  than  that  thus  early  in  his  ministry  he  foresaw 
the  inevitable  end  of  the  growing  opposition  of  the  Jew- 
ish leaders.  Perhaps  he  saw  even  then  that  the  end  was 
not  so  much  inevitable  as  it  was  indispensable. 

Accused  of  Breaking  the  Sabbath.  Mark  2:23-37. 
One  Sabbath  day  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  going 
through  a  grain  field  and  the  disciples  began  to  pluck 
a  few  of  the  heads  of  grain  and  to  eat  the  kernels.  Per- 
haps the  Pharisees  themselves  would  have  done  the 
same  thing,  but  when  they  saw  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
doing  it,  they  seized  the  opportunity  to  find  fault.  They 
said  that  the  disciples  were  reaping  and  threshing  on 
the  Sabbath  day  and  were  therefore  lawbreakers.  Their 
faultfinding  was  so  childish  that  it  would  have  been 
ludicrous  had  there  not  been  so  much  ill  feeling  lying 
back  of  it. 

Jesus  Heals  a  Man  on  the  Sabbath  Day.  Mark  3  :1-12. 
The  ill  will  of  the  Pharisees  against  Jesus  was  growing 
fast,  and  soon  an  event  took  place  which  brought  it  to 
a  climax.  Jesus  was  in  a  certain  synagogue  on  the  Sab- 
bath day.  There  was  also  in  the  same  synagogue  a  man 
with  a  withered  hand.  Many  unfriendly  eyes  were  fixed 
on  Jesus,  for  they  were  watching  to  see  whether  he 
would  dare  to  heal  the  man  on  the  Sabbath.  What  do 
you  think  Jesus  ought  to  have  done?  Ought  he  to  have 
waited  until  the  next  day?  Ought  he  to  have  let  the 
man  go  away  without  being  healed?  Would  it  have 
been  a  worthy  thing  for  Jesus  to  have  taken  the  man 
away  somewhere  and  healed  him  without  letting  the 
Pharisees  know  about  it?  I  think  you  will  agree  that 
there  was  only  one  thing  to  do,  and  that  was  to  heal  the 


intermp:diate  church  school  lessons     75 

man  without  res^ard  to  the  consequences.  He  said  to 
the  man,  '*  Stand  forth."  And  then,  while  they  watched 
him  with  eyes  full  of  malice,  Jesus  healed  the  man. 
Such  open  and  courageous  defiance  enraged  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees  beyond  measure.  At  first  they  had  just 
disliked  Jesus ;  then  they  had  become  more  and  more 
bitter  in  their  criticisms ;  now  their  hearts  were  filled 
with  murderous  hate.  The  Pharisees  went  out  from 
that  place  where  they  were  supposed  to  worship  God 
and  they  went  straight  to  the  Herodians.  The  Hero- 
dians  were  people  who  had  supported  King  Herod. 
Usually  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians  hated  one 
another,  but  now  their  common  fear  and  hatred  of  Jesus 
made  them  friends,  if  we  can  use  that  sacred  word  to 
express  the  relationship  between  such  people.  That 
Sabbath  evening  the  Pharisees  and  Herodians  plotted 
to  take  the  life  of  Jesus.  And  they  were  so  blind  that 
they  could  not  see  that  they  were  breaking  the  Sab- 
bath day.  They  thought  that  the  disciples  had  broken 
the  Sabbath  day  by  pulling  a  few  heads  of  wheat,  but 
it  did  not  occur  to  them  that  they  were  breaking  the 
Sabbath  by  plotting  murder. 

Making  Ready  for  the  Inevitable  Conflict.  Mark  3  :13- 
19 ;  Luke  6  :12-19.  Jesus  was  now  in  deadly  peril,  but 
he  was  not  thinking  of  his  own  safety.  He  was  think- 
ing of  the  safety  of  the  great  cause  which  had  brought 
him  to  earth.  He  knew  that  his  enemies  sought  not 
only  to  destroy  his  life  but  to  destroy  every  vestige  of 
the  movement  which  he  had  begun.  That  night  Jesus 
went  out  by  himself  and  climbed  a  lonely  mountain. 
There  he  spent  the  whole  night  in  prayer.  When  day 
came,  his  plans  were  made.  His  enemies  had  organized 
to  destroy  him  and  his  work.  He  proceeded  to  organ- 
ize his  forces  for  resistance  that  his  work  might  not  per- 
ish. Out  of  the  considerable  number  of  his  disciples 
he  chose  twelve  men  and  gave  them  the  name  of 
apostles.  These  twelve  were  to  be  with  him  continually. 
On  these  twelve  the  success  of  his  undertaking  must 
finally  depend.  It  was  an  unequal  contest  which  had 
begun.  The  scribes,  Pharisees,  Sadducees,  priests,  and 
Herodians  were  a  vast  company  of  people  and  they  were 


76      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

now  solidly  united. in  their  opposition  to  Jesus  and  in  their 
determination  to  destroy  him  and  the  movement  he  had 
begun.  These  Jewish  leaders  were  strong.  Even  the 
Roman  governors  quailed  before  them  and  did  their  bid- 
ding. Jesus  had  a  few  humble  people  around  him,  and 
the  multitudes  liked  him,  but  his  main  dependence  was 
upon  the  twelve  men  he  had  chosen. 


Tut  Le;sson  Prayi:r 

O  God,  our  Father,  we  pray  thee  to  free  us  from  alL 
deceit  and  prejudice.  Help  us  to  be,  not  like  the  enemies 
of  Jesus,  narrow  and  selfish  and  dishonest,  but  like  thy 
Son,  noble  and  courageous  and  true.  We  know  that  the 
battle  against  thy  Son  and  his  cause  is  not  yet  ended  and 
we  would  be  loyal  soldiers  in  the  army  of  the  King. 
Help  us  to  do  our  part  in  winning  a  victory  for  justice 
and  brotherhood.  Help  us  to  honor  thy  Son  and  to 
establish  his  Kingdom  over  all  the  world. 


The:  Lksson  Hymn 

What  grace,  O  Lord,  and  beauty  shone 

Around  thy  steps  below; 
What  patient  love  was  seen  in  all 

Thy  life  and  death  of  woe. 


Thy  foes  might  hate,  despise,  revile, 
Thy  friends  unfaithful  prove; 

Unwearied  in  forgiveness  still, 
Thy  heart  could  only  love. 


One  with  thyself,  may  every  eye 

In  us,  thy  brethren,  see 
That  gentleness  and   grace  that  spring 

From  union,  Lord,  with  thee. 

"  The  Hymnal  "  (Revised)  No.  203. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      11 

EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

CHRISTIAN  DILIGENCE 
I  Tim.  4:6-16 

Our  Scripture  lesson  is  a  part  of  Paul's  letter  to  his 
young  friend  Timothy.  Paul  urges  Timothy  to  exercise 
himself  unto  godliness,  telling  him  that  while  bodily  ex- 
ercise gives  physical  strength  for  a  little  season,  spiritual 
exercise  "  is  profitable  for  all  things,  having  promise  of 
the  life  which  now  is,  and  of  that  which  it  to  come."  He 
tells  Timothy  that  it  is  to  this  end  that  "  we  labor  and 
strive."  Pie  urges  his  young  friend  to  "  give  heed  to 
reading,  to  exhortation,  to  teaching,"  and  then,  as 
though  he  fears  that  Timothy  might  not  catch  the  full 
meaning  of  his  words,  he  admonishes  Timothy  to  *'  be 
diligent  in  these  things,"  to  give  himself  "  wholly  to 
them." 

If  we  know  about  Paul's  life  and  the  tremendous 
energy  he  put  into  the  accomplishment  of  his  great  life 
work,  we  shall  understand  that  Paul  was  asking:  his 
young  friend  to  do  only  what  he  himself  had  long  been 
doing.  Paul  was  getting  old  when  he  wrote  this  letter 
to  Timothy  but  he  was  still  intensely  active. 

Moreover,  we  know  that  Paul  in  his  intensely  active 
life  was  only  following  in  the  footsteps  of  Jesus.  We 
have  just  been  studying  the  events  of  the  first  few 
weeks  of  Jesus'  ministry  and  we  have  seen  with  what 
devotion  he  threw  himself  into  his  task.  We  shall  see 
more  and  more  of  his  diligence  as  we  continue  the  story 
of  his  life. 

There  are  some  really  great  lessons  in  these  accounts 
of  the  diligence  of  Jesus.  They  are  lessons  especially 
helpful  for  boys  and  girls,  because  the  habits  of  hard  and 
persevering  elTort  are  usually  formed  early  in  life,  if 
they  are  ever  formed  at  all.  If  we  are  to  do  anything 
really  worth  while  in  life,  we  must  put  forth  more  than 
the  ordinary  amount  of  eflfort.  We  must  lay  hold  on 
some  great  task  such  as  young  Timothy  had  taken  up, 
then  we  must  labor  and  strive  and  be  diligent  and  give 
ourselves  wholly  to  the  thing  we  have  undertaken. 


78      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Bible  Verses 

Prov.  22:9;  Luke  15:8;  Prov.  6:6-11;  Rom.  13:11; 
John  5:17;  9:4;  Phil.  2:12. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Why  did  Jesus  choose  such  men  as  Peter  and  John 
to  be  his  disciples? 

2.  Tell  of  the  events  in  one  day  of  the  life  of  Jesus 
as  described  by  Mark. 

3.  What  were  Jesus'  habits  of  prayer? 

4.  What  is  meant  by  *'  carping  criticism  "  ? 

5.  What  faults  did  the  Pharisees  think  they  discov- 
ered in  Jesus? 

6.  How  did  the  enemies  of  Jesus  organize  to  destroy 
him  and  the  movement  he  had  begun? 

7.  How  did  Jesus  organize  his  followers  to  defend 
the  cause  he  had  undertaken? 

8.  What  does  the  choice  of  Matthew  to  be  a  disciple 
show  us  about  the  character  of  Jesus? 

9.  Is  it  right  for  a  girl  to  have  a  chum  with  whom 
she  is  very  friendly  if  the  friendship  for  her  chum  makes 
her  unfriendly  to  other  girls? 

10.  What  do  you  think  of  the  boy  who  said  he  would 
not  go  to  Sunday  school  if  the  '*  Italian  Jew  "  were  put 
in  his  class? 

Study  Topics 

1.     "  The  heights  by  great  men  reached  and  kept 

Were  not  attained  by  sudden  flight, 

But  they,  while  their  companions  slept, 

Were  toiling  upward  in  the  night." 

(Who  Wrote  These  Lines  and  What  Do  They  Mean?) 

2.  The  Diligence  of  Lincoln  as  a  Boy. 

3.  Why  Is  It  a  Good  Thing  to  Be  Diligent  in  Read- 
ing? 

4.  Why  Should  a  Boy  or  Girl  Be  Diligent  in  Public 
School? 

5.  Why  We  Should  Be  As  Diligent  in  Our  Church 
School  as  We  Are  in  Our  Day  School? 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  EESSONS      79 

The:  Law  of  Christian  Diugkncd 

No  really  worth  while  thing  can  be  accomplished  in 
life  without  diligence.     Therefore: 

1.  We  will  be  diligent  in  home  duties  because  we 
thus  form  most  helpful  habits  and  by  our  diligence  add 
happiness  to  our  homes. 

2.  We  will  be  diligent  in  our  day-school  duties  be- 
cause without  earnest  effort  and  perseverance  in  our 
studies  we  shall  not  be  properly  equipped  for  usefulness 
in  life. 

3.  We  will  be  diligent  in  our  church-school  duties 
and  in  all  we  undertake  for  Jesus  and  his  Kingdom. 
Without  diligence  in  these  things  we  are  blamable  in 
the  things  of  greatest  importance  and  we  betray  our 
Master  who  has  given  us  tasks  to  do  and  who  is  de- 
pending on  us. 


CHAPTER  VII 

THE  SERMON  ON  THE  MOUNT 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

CITIZENS  OF  THE  KINGDOM:  THEIR  BLESSINGS  AND 
THEIR  TASKS 

Matt.,  chs.  5;  6:1-18 

After  his  night  of  prayer  on  the  mountain  Jesus  chose 
twelve  men  out  of  the  many  who  had  become  his  fol- 
lowers. He  chose  these  twelve  men  "  that  they  might 
be  with  him."  Much  of  his  time  and  effort  for  all  the 
rest  of  his  life  on  earth  was  spent  in  teaching  these 
twelve  men.  Some  of  these  apostles,  namely,  Peter  and 
Andrew  and  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  had  been  with  Jesus 
during  most  of  the  time  since  his  baptism.  Some  of 
their  names  we  hear  for  the  first  time  when  the  list  of 
the  apostles  is  given. 

The  selection  of  the  Twelve  seems  to  have  taken  place 
in  the  early  morning  on  the  mountain  top  where  Jesus 
had  spent  the  night  in  prayer.  Then  Jesus  "  came  down 
with  them,  and  stood  on  a  level  place,  and  a  great  multi- 
tude of  his  disciples,  and  a  great  number  of  the  people 
from  all  Judea  and  Jerusalem,  and  the  sea  coast  of  Tyre 
and  Sidon,  who  came  to  hear  him,  and  to  be  healed  of 
their  diseases.     Luke  6  :17. 

The  Horns  of  Hattin.  About  four  miles  from  the 
shores  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  some  eight  miles  south- 
west of  Capernaum  Is  a  double-peaked  mountain.  Tradi- 
tions coming  down  through  many  centuries  say  that  this 
is  the  place  where  Jesus  delivered  that  great  address 
which  we  call  "  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount."  Between 
the  two  peaks  is  a  level  place  which  may  be  the  very 
spot  on  which  Jesus  stood  while  he  spoke  to  his  disciples 
and  the  multitudes.  If  this  is  the  spot  where  Jesus 
preached   that  day,  we   may  be   sure  that   all   the  little 

80 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      81 

level  space  was  occupied  by  people,  chiefly  the  professed 
followers  of  Jesus,  and  that  the  hillsides  rising  on  both 
sides  like  a  great  amphitheater  were  covered  with  other 
multitudes  of  people. 

From  the  Horns  of  Hattin  a  splendid  panorama  is 
spread  oflf  toward  the  eastward.  A  beautiful  valley  lies 
at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  and  the  floor  of  this  valley 
is  checkered  over  with  cultivated  fields.  The  soil  there 
is  the  most  fertile  in  Palestine.  At  its  northern  end 
this  broad  valley  narrows  down  into  a  deep  gorge  which 
descends  steeply  into  the  great  depression  where  the 
Sea  of  Galilee  lies  nearly  seven  hundred  feet  below  the 
level  of  the  ocean.  East  of  this  valley  the  hills  rise 
again  in  bold  escarpments,  but  they  are  not  high  enough 
to  shut  out  entirely  the  view  of  the  blue  Galilean  lake. 
Beyond  the  valley  of  the  Jordan  the  mountain  wall  of 
Bashan  rises  dim  in  the  distance.  The  spot  would  seem 
to  be  a  fitting  place  for  Jesus  to  choose  as  the  scene  of 
his  great  address. 

The  Constitution  of  Christianity.  When  people  are 
ready  to  set  up  a  government,  they  usually  choose  a 
constitution  which  is  a  kind  of  fundamental  law  telling 
who  are  to  be  citizens  under  the  government  about  to 
be  established  and  what  their  duties  and  privileges  are 
to  be.  The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  is  vastly  more  than  a 
mere  address  on  general  religious  truth.  It  is  a  kind  of 
Constitution  of  Christianity.  It  tells  who  are  to  be 
counted  as  citizens  of  Christ's  Kingdom,  what  their 
characteristics  are  to  be,  what  blessings  they  will  enjoy, 
and  the  w^ork  they  are  to  do. 

Blessed  Citizens  of  the  Kingdom.  Matt.  5  :1-12.  It  is 
natural  for  us  to  desire  happiness.  The  people  in  the 
days  of  Jesus  were  just  like  us  in  this  respect.  They 
thought  a  great  deal  about  the  Kingdom  which  had  been 
promised  through  the  prophets.  They  longed  for  the 
coming  of  the  Kingdom,  because  they  believed  the 
prophet's  words  which  promised  that, 

"  The  ransomed  of  Jehovah  shall  return,  and  come  with  sing- 
ing unto  Zion;  and  everlasting  joy  shall  be  upon  their  heads: 
they  shall  obtain  gladness  and  joy,  and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall 
flee  away."— Isa.  35:10. 


82      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Jesus  had  come  to  set  up  the  happy  Kingdom  which 
the  prophets  had  foretold.  When  the  Kingdom  is  estab- 
Hshed  in  the  hearts  of  its  citizens,  what  blessings  will  it 
give  them?  When  the  Kingdom  is  established  in  the 
world,  what  blessings  will  it  bring  to  humanity?  These 
questions  Jesus  answers  in  the  verses  which  we  have 
come  to  call  "  The  Beatitudes." 

The  poor  in  spirit,  people  who  have  lacked  the  things 
that  satisfy  the  soul  as  well  as  the  things  that  satisfy 
the  physical  needs,  will  be  blessed  by  entering  the  King- 
dom because  it  will  be  rich  in  spiritual  treasures.  There 
will  be  comfort  for  all  who  mourn  because  the  Kingdom 
of  God  will  begin  in  this  world  and  will  stretch  out  into 
the  world  of  eternal  life  that  lies  beyond,  thus  insuring 
hope  now  and  the  realization  of  hopes  in  the  world  be- 
yond. In  the  usual  world  order  the  meek  person  is 
overlooked  and  crowded  into  the  background,  but  in 
God's  Kingdom  meekness  will  be  recognized  as  such  a 
desirable  quality  of  character  that  the  one  possessing  it 
will  be  exalted  to  highest  places  of  power  and  responsi- 
bility. Those  who  have  hungered  and  thirsted  after 
righteousness  for  themselves  and  for  the  whole  family 
of  mankind  will  be  satisfied  when  the  Kingdom  is  estab- 
lished. In  the  Kingdom  J  the  merciful  will  obtain  mercy, 
a  compensation  often  denied  them  in  the  kingdoms  of 
the  earth  ;  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God  and  the  King- 
dom will  be  such  as  to  make  and  keep  men's  hearts  pure; 
the  peacemakers,  not  the  war  makers,  shall  be  honored 
most  in  the  Kingdom,  and  they  shall  bear  the  exalted 
name  of  "  sons  of  God."  In  the  Kingdom  of  God 
those  who  have  held  to  truth  and  righteousness  in  spite 
of  persecutions  will  find  their  rest  and  their  reward. 

Salt  of  the  Earth  and  Light  of  the  World.  Matt.  5  :13- 
16.  What  are  the  citizens  of  the  Kingdom  to  be  and  to 
do  while  they  live  in  this  world?  Jesus  tells  the  multi- 
tudes that  his  followers  must  be  the  salt  of  the  earth. 
They  must  be  a  saving  and  preserving  force.  And  that 
is  just  what  every  real  Christian  is.  He  helps  to  pre- 
serve all  that  is  of  value  in  our  civilization.  What  do 
you  think  would  become  of  our  nation  if  every  Christian 
were  taken  out  of  it  and  every  Christian  influence  re- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       83 

moved?  This  preserving  quality  is  of  such  great  im- 
portance that  Jesus  says  any  professed  follower  of  his 
who  does  not  have  it  is  like  salt  which  has  wholly  lost 
its  savor.  Such  a  person  is  useless  in  the  enterprises 
of  God  and  in  all  his  universe  God  has  no  place  for  a 
useless  thing. 

Citizens  of  the  Kingdom,  that  is,  Christians,  are  to  be 
the  light  of  the  w^orld.  We  speak  of  "  Darkest  Africa," 
and  it  is,  indeed,  a  dark  continent  because  there  are  so 
few  there  who  are  citizens  of  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus. 
What  if  we  should  take  out  of  the  world  all  those  ele- 
ments of  our  civilization  which  may  be  truly  called  the 
light  of  the  Christian  religion?  We  should  lose  nearly 
all  the  great  paintings  of  the  world,  for  most  of  them  are 
distinctly  Christian.  They  are  pictures  of  the  Christ  as 
a  child,  or  as  he  walked  and  served  men  in  the  days  of 
his  manhood,  or  as  he  died  to  save  the  world.  We 
should  lose  practically  all  our  great  songs  and  much  of 
our  best  literature.  So  Jesus  spoke  a  great  truth  when 
he  said  that  his  followers  should  be  the  light  of  the 
world.  The  lives  of  the  great  Christian  leaders  of  past 
centuries  still  enlighten  the  world.  Paul,  John  the  Dis- 
ciple, Augustine,  Luther,  and  Wesley,  still  are  lights  of 
the  world,  though  their  bodies  have  long  ago  become 
dust. 

Fulfilling  the  Law  and  the  Prophets.  Matt.  5:17-48. 
Jesus  told  his  disciples  that  he  had  not  come  to  destroy 
the  teachings  of  the  Mosaic  Law  and  the  teachings  of  the 
Hebrew  Prophets.  He  had  not  come  to  destroy  but  to 
fulfill.  The  laws  which  Moses  gave  the  Hebrews  aimed 
to  make  of  the  chosen  people  true  and  loyal  followers 
of  Jehovah.  The  laws  had  a  lofty  purpose  and  Jesus 
had  come  to  help  the  people  to  attain  that  lofty  purpose. 
The  Hebrew  prophets  had  one  and  all  foretold  better 
days  lying  beyond  the  days  of  disaster  and  national  ruin. 
Jesus  had  come  to  fulfill  these  hopes  of  the  prophets. 
Do  you  remember  Jeremiah's  sublime  words  about  the 
new  and  better  covenant?  Jesus  had  come  to  proclaim 
this  covenant  which  should  be  written  on  the  hearts  of 
true  followers  of  God.    Jer.  31 :31-34. 

Jesus  show^ed  how  the  citizens  of  the  Kin2:dom  would 


84      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

fulfill  the  conditions  of  the  new  and  better  covenant. 
They  would  not  only  obey  the  commandment,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  kill,"  but  they  would  free  themselves  from  the 
subtle  feelings  of  hatred  and  contempt  which  are  the 
seeds  of  evil  from  which  such  great  crimes  as  the  taking 
of  human  life  grow. 

The  law  of  Moses  had  proclaimed  "  an  eye  for  an  eye, 
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth."  That  is,  if  anyone  struck  you 
and  knocked  out  a  tooth,  you  had  the  right  to  strike  him 
back  and  injure  him  just  as  much  as  he  had  injured  you. 
Now  this  was  a  humane  law  in  the  times  of  Moses.  Its 
aim  was  to  forbid  wholesale  and  unmeasured  vengeance. 
Under  this  law  a  man  could  be  punished  if  he  retaliated 
against  one  who  had  injured  him  and  in  his  retalia- 
tion wrought  his  enemy  greater  injury  than  he  had  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  his  enemy.  Jesus  took  up  the 
humane  purpose  of  the  law  and  carried  it  further,  ful- 
filled it.  He  said,  "  Resist  not  him  that  is  evil :  but  who- 
soever smiteth  thee  on  thy  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the 
other  also."  Jesus  meant  something  like  this :  If  a  ruf- 
fian comes  up  on  the  street  and  slaps  a  gentleman  in 
the  face,  the  gentleman  will  have  self-control  enough 
and  will  be  courteous  enough  not  to  slap  back. 

The  Importance  of  Motives.  Matt.  6:1-18.  In  his 
teaching,  Jesus  recognized  the  great  importance  of  the 
motives  which  lie  back  of  the  things  we  do.  Not  what 
we  do,  but  why  we  do  it,  is  the  important  question  for 
Christians  to  consider.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  gave 
a  good  deal  to  the  poor,  but  they  gave  from  wrong  mo- 
tives. They  did  not  give  because  they  loved  and  pitied 
the  poor  and  wished  to  help  them.  They  gave  in  order 
that  people  might  see  them  giving  away  their  money 
and  consider  them  very  good  and  generous.  Thus  a  per- 
fectly worthy  act  was  spoiled  because  it  had  a  bad  mo- 
tive back  of  it.  Jesus  showed  how  wrong  motives  also 
lay  back  of  the  prayers  of  the  Pharisees  and  back  of 
their  fasting.  He  told  his  followers  how  to  give  alms, 
how  to  pray,  and  how  to  fast  in  such  a  way  as  to  avoid 
the  unworthy  motives  which  lay  back  of  so  many  of  the 
religious  observances  of  the  Pharisees. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      85 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  The  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  by  Hofmann  (64  Perry)  ;  Consider  the  Lilies, 
by  Le  Jeune  (67  Perry)  ;  Prayer  in  Secret,  by  Rida  (66 
Perry). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

CITIZENS  OF  THE  KINGDOM:  THEIR  TRAITS  OF 
CHARACTER 

Matt.  6:19-34;  ch.  7 

A  nation  can  be  truly  great  only  when  it  is  composed 
of  great  citizens.  The  Kingdom  of  which  the  prophets 
had  dreamed  and  which  Jesus  had  come  to  establish 
must  likewise  have  the  right  kind  of  citizens  if  it  is  to 
be  worthy  of  the  title,  "  the  Kingdom  of  God."  So  we 
find  that  a  great  part  of  what  Jesus  had  to  say  in  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  had  to  do  with  the  characteristics 
of  the  citizens  of  the  Kingdom  he  had  come  to  start  on 
earth. 

Not  Servants  of  Mammon  but  Servants  of  God.  Matt. 
6  :19-24.  The  word  "  mammon  "  means  wealth  or  riches. 
It  is  very  important  for  us  to  have  right  attitudes  to- 
ward property  if  we  are  to  be  loyal  and  effective  fol- 
lowers of  Jesus.  Knowing  this  to  be  true,  Jesus  told  his 
followers  some  important  truths  about  worldly  posses- 
sions and  the  proper  attitude  towards  property  values. 
He  told  them  that  they  ought  not  to  make  earthly  pos- 
sessions their  treasure.  The  thing  for  which  the  citizens 
of  God's  Kingdom  care  most  ought  not  to  be  houses, 
lands,  or  gold.  They  ought  to  have  their  treasures  in 
heaven.  They  should  seek  for  the  establishment  of 
justice  for  all.  They  should  make  righteousness  for 
themselves  and  for  all  mankind  the  supreme  object  for 
which  they  strive. 

Jesus  knew  that  when  people  make  the  gaining  of 
wealth  their  chief  aim  in  life,  they  are  very  apt  to  be- 
come slaves  to  their  possessions.     They  toil   and   plan 


86      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

and  use  the  wealth  they  have  to  gain  more  wealth.  Jesus 
told  his  followers  that  people  who  were  thus  the  ser- 
vants of  mammon  could  not  become  servants  of  God. 
To  be  a  worthy  citizen  of  God's  Kingdom  a  person  must 
be,  first  of  all,  a  loyal  servant  of  God.  If  he  is  a  ser- 
vant of  God,  he  will  use  his  time,  his  strength,  and  his 
wealth  in  such  a  way  as  to  honor  God  and  help  build  up 
God's  Kingdom  on  earth. 

The  Spirit  of  Trust  Which  Drives  Out  Anxiety.  Matt. 
6  :25-34.  Many  to  whom  Jesus  spoke  that  day  were  very 
poor.  There  were  fathers  there  who  were  troubled  be- 
cause their  children  were  hungry  for  bread.  There  were 
many  listening  to  Jesus  who  had  labored  hard  all  their 
lives  for  the  poorest  kind  of  living  and  Avho  had  often 
been  hungry  because  there  was  no  food  in  the  house. 
They  had  often  been  cold  because  they  had  no  money 
with  which  to  buy  clothing  for  themselves.  These 
people  were  not  in  danger  of  becoming  selfish  hoarders 
of  wealth.  They  had  no  opportunities  to  do  anything 
of  that  kind.  They  were  in  spiritual  danger  of  another 
kind,  however.  Many  of  them  were  constantly  anxious 
about  food  and  clothing.  They  thought  so  much  about 
their  problems  that  they  had  little  time  to  thmk  of  God 
and  his  Kingdom. 

Jesus  had  a  beautiful  message  to  these  careworn 
poor.  He  said,  "Blessed  are  ye  poor:  for  yours  is  the 
kingdom  of  God."  He  told  them  not  to  be  anxious 
about  food  and  raiment.  He  showed  them  how  God 
cares  for  the  flowers  and  the  birds  and  he  said  to  them, 
"  Shall  he  not  much  more  clothe  you,  O  ye  of  little 
faith?"  He  told  them  to  seek  the  Kingdom  of  God  and 
his  righteousness  and  all  the  things  they  needed  w^ould 
then  be  added  unto  them.  And  Ave  know  that  Jesus 
spoke  the  truth.  If  people  are  hungry  and  cold  and 
homeless  in  the  world,  it  is  not  God's  fault.  He  has 
made  a  wonderful  home  for  his  children.  The  earth 
and  the  sea  are  alike  full  of  food  for  man.  If  all  men 
were  trying  to  do  God's  will  on  earth  as  it  is  done  in 
heaven — in  other  words,  if  they  were  citizens  of  God's 
Kingdom — there  would  be  no  hunger  and  nakedness 
^mong  men,     So  Jesus  said  to  his  followers,  "  Be  not 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       87 

therefore  anxious,  saying,  ^Vhat  shall  we  eat?  or.  What 
shall  we  drink?  or,  Wherewithal  shall  we  be  clothed?" 
Instead  of  being  anxious  about  these  little  things  for 
yourselves,  seek  the  greater  and  more  important  things. 
Seek  to  build  up  God's  Kingdom  on  earth  and  then  there 
will  be  no  cause  for  anxiety  about  such  things  as  food 
and  clothing.  Moreover,  God  will  take  care  of  those 
who  trust  him  and  work  for  his  Kingdom,  so  that  all 
those  who  are  truly  seeking  God's  Kingdom  have  no 
need  to  be  anxious. 

Citizens  of  the  Kingdom  Are  Not  Carping  Critics. 
IMatt.  7  :l-5.  Jesus  told  his  followers  that  they  were  not 
to  make  it  their  chief  business  in  life  to  pick  flaws  in 
other  people.  They  Avere  not  to  be  like  a  half-blind 
oculist  who  has  a  beam  of  wood  in  his  eye,  yet  is  always 
dispensing  advice  as  to  how  a  particle  of  dust  may  be 
removed  from  a  neighbor's  eye.  Jesus  meant  that  we 
ought  to  examine  ourselves  rigidly  to  see  whether  we 
may  not  have,  ourselves,  the  faults  we  think  we  see  so 
plainly  in  others.  If  we  overcome  our  own  faults  first, 
we  shall  then  know  how  to  help  our  brothers  to  over- 
come their  faults,  too. 

Reverence  for  Things  that  Are  Holy.  Matt.  7:6. 
Reverence  is  one  of  the  finest  traits  of  character.  A 
person  who  has  no  reverence  for  anything  has  lost  a 
pearl  of  priceless  value  from  his  personality.  "  Give 
not  that  which  is  holy  unto  the  dogs,"  said  Jesus : 
"  neither  cast  your  pearls  before  the  swine."  There  are 
certain  things  which  every  boy  and  girl  ought  to  rever- 
ence, and  must  reverence  ;  if  they  are  to  grow  up  to  be 
worthy  citizens  of  God's  Kingdom. 

Reverence  for  God.  E^^ery  citizen  of  God's  Kingdom 
has  the  reverence  of  God  as  a  first  and  fundamental  trait 
of  his  character.  He  speaks  God's  name  reverently.  He 
is  humbly  thankful  to  God  and  obedient  to  the  heavenly 
Father's  commandments. 

Reverence  for  God's  Day.  If  we  profane  the  Sabbath 
day,  we  are  guilty  of  casting  that  which  is  holy  to  the 
dogs.  For  the  Christian,  every  day  ought  to  be  a  holy 
day,  it  is  true.  But  that  does  not  make  it  desirable  that 
we  do  away  with  the  one  day  of  the  week  when  we  give 


88      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

more  time  to  the  consideration  of  things  distinctly  re- 
lio-ious  than  we  are  able  to  do  on  other  days  of  the  week. 

Reverence  for  God's  Book.  The  Bible  contains  God's 
messages  to  man.  It  tells  us  of  the  life  and  teachings  of 
God's  Son.  It  is  hard  to  see  how  anyone  could  be  a  true 
believer  in  Jesus  and  a  citizen  of  God's  Kingdom  if  he 
refused  to  honor  the  Bible. 

Citizens  of  the  Kingdom  Have  Faith  in  God's  Good- 
ness and  Power.  Matt.  7  :7-14.  A  great  preacher  once 
urged  his  congregation  to  "  ask  great  things  from  God 
and  expect  great  things  from  God."  This  man  was  only 
following  the  example  of  Jesus,  for  in  his  sermon 
preached  on  the  mountain  top,  Jesus  said  to  his  follow- 
ers, "  Ask,  and  it  shall  be  given  you ;  seek,  and  ye  shall 
find;  knock,  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you:  for  every 
one  that  asketh  receiveth ;  and  he  that  seeketh  findeth ; 
and  to  him  that  knocketh  it  shall  be  opened."  Jesus 
told  his  followers  that  God  is  a  good  and  wise  Father 
and  that  he  will  give  good  gifts  to  all  his  children.  Citi- 
zens of  the  Kingdom  of  God  must  have  full  faith  both  in 
God's  goodness  and  in  his  power. 

Citizens  of  the  Kingdom  Are  Genuine  in  Character. 
Matt.  7  :15-23.  As  we  continue  our  study  of  the  life  of 
Jesus,  we  shall  see  that  he  found  all  hypocritical  pre- 
tenses unbearable.  He  could  not  endure  people  who 
pretended  to  be  very  good  when  they  were,  in  reality, 
very  evil.  So  we  need  not  be  surprised  that  as  he  neared 
the  end  of  his  great  sermon  he  warned  his  followers 
that  they  must  be  genuine.  Their  character  must  show 
itself  in  good  works.  It  would  not  do  to  call  the  tree 
good,  if  it  bore  corrupt  fruit.  There  was  to  be  no  place 
in  his  Kingdom  for  false  prophets  dressed  up  in  sheep's 
clothing  so  as  to  look  like  sheep  while  they  had  within 
them  the  hearts  of  wolves. 

The  test  of  citizenship  was  not  to  be  some  profession 
of  loyalty  made  by  word  of  mouth  alone.  The  profes- 
sion must  be  backed  up  by  acts  and  habits  of  life  in 
harmony  with  the  profession.  Jesus  told  his  followers 
that  in  the  great  day  of  judgment  many  would  say  to 
him,  "  Lord,  Lord,  did  we  not  prophesy  by  thy  name. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      89 

and  by  thy  name  cast  out  demons,  and  by  thy  name  do 
many  mighty  works?"  He  said  that  in  that  day  he 
would  say  to  these  pretended  followers  of  his,"  I  never 
knew  you :  depart  from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity." 

The  Two  Foundations.  I\latt.  7:24-29.  Orators  often 
end  their  addresses  by  some  word  of  appeal  which 
makes  a  fitting  close  to  all  that  they  have  said.  Such 
closing  sentences  of  an  address  are  called  the  perora- 
tion. We  find  that  Jesus  closed  the  Sermon  on  the 
]\Iount  with  such  an  appeal.  He  said  that  everyone  who 
heard  his  words  and  did  them  would  be  like  a  wise  man 
who  built  his  house  upon  a  rock.  When  a  great  storm 
came  and  the  wind  and  rain  beat  against  the  house  and 
the  floods  came  up  and  rushed  around  its  foundations, 
it  did  not  fall  because  it  was  built  on  a  rock.  He  said 
that  everyone  who  heard  his  words  and  did  not  do  them 
would  be  like  a  foolish  man  who  built  his  house  upon 
the  sand,  ^^'hen  the  storm  came  with  its  wind  and  rain 
and  flood,  this  house  built  on  the  sand  fell  into  a  heap 
of  ruins. 

The:  Lesson  Prayer 

Our  Father  in  heaven,,  we  thank  thee  for  the  teachings 
of  Jesus,  thy  Son.  We  thank  thee  for  this  wonderful 
sermon  which  he  preached  on  the  mountain  in  Galilee. 
We  thank  thee  that  thou  hast  preserved  it  through  all 
the  centuries  and  hast  given  it  unto  us  for  our  guidance. 
We  thank  thee  for  the  Church  of  thy  Son,  and  for  its  in- 
fluences which  have  been  about  us  from  our  infancy. 
We  thank  thee  for  the  influence  of  Christian  homes  and 
for  the  privileges  of  a  Christian  land. 

Help  us,  we  pray  thee,  to  show  our  love  and  gratitude 
by  living  for  thy  Kingdom.  Help  us  to  be  worthy  citi- 
zens in  the  Kingdom  of  our  God.  Make  us  true  and 
sincere  and  upright  in  every  way.  Help  us  so  to  build 
our  lives  and  our  characters  that  they  may  stand  any 
testing  that  life  may  bring.  Give  us  the  spirit  of  friend- 
ship _  for  all  and  the  spirit  of  devotion  to  thee  which 
manifests  itself  in  trust  and  faithful  service.  We  ask  in 
the  name  of  thy  Son.     Amen. 


90      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Thiv  Lesson  Hymn 

The  Church's  one  foundation 

Is  Jesus  Christ  her  Lord; 
She  is  his  new  creation 

By  water  and  the  word: 
From  heaven  he   came  and  sought  her 

To  be  his  holy  Bride; 
With  his  own  blood  he  bought  her,  ' 

And  for  her  life  he  died. 

"The   Hymnal"    (Revised)    No.   304. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE    ETIQUETTE   OF   THE    KINGDOM 
Matt.  3:13-17;  John  4:1-3;  Matt.  7:12;  11:7-11 

Etiquette  is  the  science  of  good  manners.  It  is  un- 
fortunate that  this  science  of  good  breeding  has  not  been 
made  a  subject  of  study  in  our  country  to  so  great  an 
extent  as  we  might  wish.  Why  should  a  nation,  at 
least  nominally  Christian  like  ours,  be  inferior  to  a  pagan 
people  like  the  Japanese  in  matters  of  politeness?  Is  it 
not  because  we  have  based  our  ideas  of  good  manners 
on  the  artificial  standards  of  society,  or  drawn  them 
from  the  customs  prevailing  in  the  ancient  court  circles 
of  Europe?  Christians  need  not  go  to  such  sources  for 
their  standards  of  politeness.  They  have  a  perfect 
model  in  the  life  of  Jesus  and  perfect  instructions  con- 
cerning this  matter  in  his  teachings.  Perhaps  we  have 
not  thought  of  the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus  in  just 
this  way,  but  a  little  attention  will  show  us  how  many 
of  his  acts  have  lessons  in  politeness  for  us  and  how 
many  of  his  precepts  bear  directly  on  habits  of  courtesy. 

The  Fundamental  Law  of  Courtesy.  All  politeness 
really  worth  while  is  based  on  the  Golden  Rule :  "  All 
things  therefore  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  unto  you,  even  so  do  ye  also  unto  them."  True 
courtesy  expresses  itself  in  care  for  the  comfort  and 
happiness  of  other  people.  Selfishness  lies  at  the  basis 
of  most  acts  of  impoliteness. 

The  Courtesy  of  Jesus  Shown  at  His  Baptism.     Some 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      91 

of  the  acts  of  Jesus  concerning  which  we  have  been 
studying  are  fine  illustrations  of  his  perfect  courtesy. 
When  he  came  to  be  baptized,  and  John  objected  on 
the  grounds  that  it  would  not  be  a  fitting  thing  for  him 
to  baptize  Jesus,  the  reply  of  Jesus  was,  **  Suffer  it  now : 
for  thus  it  becometh  us  to  fulfill  all  righteousness." 
The  courteous  person  will  do  many  things  which  he 
does  not  need  to  do  for  his  own  good  but  which  add  to 
the  comfort  or  safety  of  other  people.  We  find  many 
such  acts  in  the  life  of  Jesus.  One  day  in  Capernaum 
some  tax  collectors  came  to  Peter  and  asked  him 
whether  or  not  Jesus  paid  the  half  shekel  which  was  col- 
lected for  the  support  of  the  Temple.  We  know  from 
what  Jesus  said  to  Peter  that  he  did  not  regard  himself 
as  under  any  obligation  to  pay  the  tax.  Nevertheless 
he  asked  that  it  be  paid,  "  lest  we  cause  them  to 
stumble."  That  was  true  politeness.  Jesus  would 
rather  suffer  an  injustice  than  to  have  any  person  put  in 
spiritual  danger.     Matt.  17:24-27. 

Jesus'  Courtesy  Toward  John  the  Baptist.  As  soon 
as  Jesus  began  to  preach,  great  crowds  gathered  about 
him.  It  was  not  long  before  the  crowds  following  Jesus 
were  greater  than  the  crowds  following  John  the  Bap- 
tist. John  was  too  nobly  unselfish  to  be  jealous  of  Jesus, 
but  some  of  John's  disciples  were  much  concerned  about 
the  matter.  They  came  to  John  and  told  him  how  Jesus 
and  his  disciples  were  baptizing  and  how  all  men  were 
coming  to  the  new  teacher.  Now  when  Jesus  heard 
how  John's  disciples  felt,  he  left  Judea  and  departed  into 
Galilee.  The  work  of  John  was  not  yet  done,  and  rather 
than  cause  John  embarrassment  because  of  the  attitude 
of  his  disciples,  Jesus  withdrew  from  his  field  of  labor. 
He  was  too  courteous  to  allow  his  own  great  work  to 
overshadow  the  work  of  his  great  predecessor.  Under 
the  Study  Topics  other  instances  of  the  courtesy  of 
Jesus  v/ill  be  noted. 

Bible  Verses 

Show  how  the  following  verses  have  a  message  con- 
cerning politeness ;  Matt.  5  :21,  22,  33-42  ;  6  :1,  5  ;  7  :3. 


92      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Rf:vie:w  Questions 

1.  Why  is  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount  called  the  Con- 
stitution of  Christianity? 

2.  What  does  Jesus  teach  us  about  happiness? 

3.  In  what  sense  are  Christian  people  the  salt  of  the 
earth  and  the  light  of  the  world? 

4.  How  does  the  teaching  of  Jesus  show  the  im- 
portance of  motives? 

5.  How  did  Jesus  show  the  dangers  of  too  great  de- 
sire for  wealth? 

6.  What  message  did  Jesus  have  for  people  who  were 
poor? 

7.  Name  some  things  for  which  every  Christian 
should  have  reverence. 

8.  What  words  of  Jesus  show  his  dislike  for  pretense 
and  hypocrisy? 

9.  How  did  Jesus  close  his  great  sermon? 

10.  Name  some  act  of  politeness  in  the  life  of  Jesus. 

Study  Topics 

1.  Jesus  Rebukes  the  Impoliteness  of  a  Pharisee. 
Luke  7:36-50. 

2.  Jesus  Gives  the  People  at  a  Dinner  Party  a  Les- 
son in  Politeness.    Luke  14:7-11. 

3.  Jesus  Gives  His  Disciples  an  Object  Lesson  in 
Courtesy.    John  13  :l-5. 

The:  Law  oi^  Christian  Courtesy 

Courtesy  is  one  of  the  finest  of  the  Christian  graces. 
In  its  widest  sense  it  demands  of  us  politeness  toward 
mankind  and  reverence  toward  God.  Courtesy  is  both 
a  duty  and  an  opportunity.     Therefore: 

1.  We  will  cultivate  habits  of  politeness  in  our  homes 
and  in  our  relationships  at  school. 

2.  We  will  base  our  standards  of  courtesy  on  the 
Golden  Rule  of  Jesus. 

3.  We  will  strive  after  that  highest  type  of  courtesy 
which  expresses  itself  in  reverence  for  God.  We  will 
honor  God's  day,  God's  Book,  and  God's  house. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

METHODS  WHICH  JESUS  USED  IN  HIS  WORK 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

CONVERSATIONS  OF  THE  CHRIST 

John  3:1-21;  4:1-42;  12:20-28 

We  have  ah-eady  seen  something  of  the  way  in  which 
Jesus  took  hold  of  his  great  task.  We  have  followed 
him  through  one  busy  day.  W^e  have  studied  the  great 
sermon  which  he  preached  on  a  mountain  top.  We  must 
not  think  of  this  day  of  teaching  and  labor  and  of  the 
sermon  to  a  great  multitude  as  unusual  events  in  his  life. 
Most  of  his  days,  after  he  began  his  ministry,  were' 
probably  much  like  the  busy  days  we  have  studied. 

Jesus,  however,  had  many  ways  of  working  besides 
healing,  preaching,  and  teaching.  He  was  so  in- 
tensely interested  in  his  great  mission  that  he  used 
every  minute  and  seized  every  opportunity  to  do  some- 
thing for  the  cause  he  loved.  No  individual  was  too 
poor  and  despised  for  Jesus  to  take  notice  of  him.  Every 
little  incident  of  the  day  was  made  to  teach  his  disciples 
some  spiritual  truth  which  would  help  them  to  be  good 
"  fishers  of  men."  In  this  lesson  we  are  to  study  a  few 
of  the  conversations  which  Jesus  had  with  certain  in- 
dividuals. 

With  Nicodemus  on  the  Housetop.  John  3:1-21. 
Quite  early  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus,  when  he  was  spend- 
ing a  night  in  Jerusalem,  one  of  the  chief  Pharisees 
came  to  visit  him.  This  man's  name  was  Nicodemus 
and  he  was  a  member  of  the  Jewish  court  called  the 
sanhedrin.  He  was  evidently  an  honest  and  sincere 
man.  If  he  had  only  had  the  courage  to  come  out  boldly 
and  profess  his  faith  in  Jesus,  he  might  have  been  one 
of  the  truly  great   men   of   New   Testament   times,   but 

93 


94       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH   SCHOOL  LESSONS 

such  a  course  would  have  cost  him  his  official  position 
and  probably  his  life. 

Nicodemus  came  to  see  Jesus  at  night.  It  may  be 
that  he  did  not  care  to  have  his  Pharisee  friends  know 
that  he  had  come  to  see  the  teacher  from  Nazareth.  It 
is  thought  that  Jesus  and  Nicodemus  sat  on  the  flat  roof 
of  the  liouse  that  night  as  they  talked  together.  The 
roof  of  a  house  in  Palestine  is  a  cool  and  delightful 
place  to  spend  a  summer  evening. 

When  the  two  had  seated  themselves,  Nicodemus 
said  to  Jesus,  "  Rabbi,  we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God,  for  no  one  man  can  do  these  signs  that 
thou  doest,  except  God  be  with  him."  That  was  a  noble 
declaration.  And  it  is  good  to  know  that  there  was  at 
least  one  Pharisee  who  was  willing  to  make  such  a 
statement.  As  Jesus  looked  at  this  Pharisee,  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  the  nation,  he  seems  to  have  been  think- 
ing of  the  profound  change  which  such  a  man  must 
undergo  before  he  could  really  become  a  citizen  of  the 
Kingdom  God  was  seeking  to  set  up  on  earth.  Nico- 
demus had  a  certain  faith  in  Jesus  because  he  had  seen 
Jesus  perform  miracles,  but  did  he  believe  in  Jesus 
enough  to  give  up  his  honorable  position  in  the  State 
and  in  the  Church?  Did  he  believe  in  Jesus  enough  to 
become  a  real  disciple  who  would  go  about  the  country 
learning  little  by  little  the  great  secrets  of  the  King- 
dom? 

Jesus  expressed  the  profound  change  which  Nico- 
demus must  undergo  by  a  remarkable  statement.  He 
said,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  one  be  born 
anew,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God."  That  was 
a  very  surprising  statement  to  make  to  a  chief  Pharisee. 
The  Pharisees  never  doubted  at  all  that  they  were  to  be 
the  great  people  in  God's  Kingdom  when  it  was  set  up 
on  earth.  To  be  told  that  he  could  not  even  see  that 
Kingdom  unless  he  was  born  again  was  certainly  a  sur- 
prising thing  for  a  chief  Pharisee  to  hear  concerning 
himself. 

Then  Jesus  went  on  to  explain  to  Nicodemus  how  it 
is  that  we  must  enter  God's  Kingdom  by  a  new  spiritual 
birth.    Nicodemus  had  been  impressed  by  Jesus'  miracles 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS       95 

of  healing  and  Jesus  now  told  him  of  that  far  greater 
miracle  which  is  wrought  within  the  souls  of  all  who 
really  believe  in  the  world's  Saviour. 

We  may  well  believe  that  Nicodemus  never  forgot 
the  conversation  of  that  night.  We  have  reason  to  hope 
that  this  noble-hearted  Pharisee  came  at  last  to  experi- 
ence that  spiritual  birth  which  makes  one  a  citizen  of 
God's  Kingdom. 

With  the  Woman  of  Samaria  by  the  Well  at  Sychar. 
John  4:1-42.  One  day  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  on 
their  way  from  Judea  to  Galilee.  They  were  passing 
through  Samaria  and  had  come  to  a  very  interesting 
spot.  They  had  reached  a  place  where  there  was  a  well 
which  had  been  dug  by  Jacob  and  which  was  located  on 
a  plot  of  ground  which  Jacob  had  given  to  his  son 
Joseph.  Jesus  was  wearied  by  the  journey  and  by  his 
days  and  weeks  of  preaching,  healing,  and  traveling.  So 
he  sat  down  by  the  well  to  rest  while  his  disciples  went 
away  into  the  village  to  buy  food  for  the  noonday  meal. 

While  the  disciples  were  away,  a  woman  of  Samaria 
came  to  draw  water  from  the  well.  Seeing  Jesus  sitting 
there,  she  recognized  him  as  a  Jew  and  doubtless  her 
heart  was  stirred  by  hatred,  for  the  Jews  and  Samari- 
tans, almost  without  exception,  hated  one  another.  She 
was  greatly  surprised,  therefore,  when  Jesus  asked  her 
to  give  him  a  drink  of  water.  She  asked  for  an  explana- 
tion. She  had  never  heard  of  such  a  thing  as  a  Jew's 
asking  a  Samaritan  for  water  and  taking  a  cup  from  a 
Samaritan's  hand  that  he  might  put  it  to  his  lips.  The 
request  would  have  been  remarkable  had  it  been  a  Jew 
asking  a  Samaritan  man  for  such  assistance,  but  for  a 
Jew  to  ask  a  Samaritan  woman  for  such  a  favor  was 
truly  astonishing. 

Jesus  began  by  talking  about  the  water  in  Jacob's 
well,  but  in  a  little  while  they  were  talking  about  some- 
thing quite  different  from  ordinary  water.  They  were 
talking  about  a  wonderful  and  inexhaustible  well  of 
water  that  springs  up  within  the  soul  of  all  who  know 
God  and  love  him.  This  woman  had  not  been  a  very 
righteous  person  and  even  then  she  was  living  a  life  of 
sin.     Jesus   skillfully   brought   thoughts   concerning   her 


96       INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

wrongdoing-  to  the  woman's  mind.  She  did  not  like  the 
personal  turn  the  conversation  had  taken  and  tried  to 
escape  by  bringing  up  some  old  matters  of  dispute  be- 
tween the  Jews  and  the  Samaritans.  Jesus  seized  this 
opportunity  to  tell  the  woman  some  of  the  deepest  truths 
of  the  New  Testament. 

As  they  talked,  something  in  the  manner  or  words  of 
Jesus  made  the  woman  remember  the  great  hope  of  her 
people,  as  well  as  the  great  hope  of  the  Jews.  She  said, 
''  I  know  that  Messiah  cometh :  ,  . .  when  he  is  come,  he 
will  declare  unto  us  all  things."  Then  Jesus  told  her 
something  which,  so  far  as  we  know,  he  had  never  told 
anyone  else.  He  said  to  her,  "  I  that  speak  unto  thee  am 
he."  The  woman  went  away  to  tell  her  friends  and 
neighbors  that  she  had  found  the  Christ. 

When  the  disciples  came  back,  they  were  surprised  to 
find  Jesus  talking  with  the  woman.  Having  prepared 
the  meal,  they  urged  Jesus  to  eat.  But  he  answered 
them,  "  I  have  meat  to  eat  that  ye  know  not."  The  dis- 
ciples were  surprised  and,  looking  at  one  another,  said, 
*'  Hath  any  man  brought  him  aught  to  eat?"  Then  Jesus 
said,  ''  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me, 
and  to  accomplish  his  work."  Jesus  meant  that  if  we  do 
something  for  God,  he  gives  us  in  return  soul  food  which 
brings  us  joy,  satisfaction,  and  hope.  That  is  what 
Jesus  meant  when  he  said,  "  He  that  reapeth  receiveth 
wages,  and  gathereth  fruit  unto  life  eternal."  A  pessimist 
is  one  who  is  always  looking  on  the  dark  side  of  things. 
One  who  works  for  God  can  never  be  a  pessimist.  He 
feels  something  of  what  Jesus  felt  when  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  "  Say  not  ye,  There  are  yet  four  months,  and 
then  cometh  the  harvest?  behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Lift 
up  your  eyes,  and  look  on  the  fields,  that  they  are  white 
already  unto  harvest." 

That  conversation  with  a  woman  by  the  well  of  Jacob 
was  the  beginning  of  great  things  in  Samaria.  The 
woman  went  and  told  her  friends  and  relatives  about 
Jesus  and  a  large  crowd  of  the  Samaritan  people  came 
out  and  asked  Jesus  and  his  disciples  to  stay  for  a  time 
in  their  city.  They  remained  there  two  days  and  many 
came  to  be  followers  of  Jesus  in  that  part  of  Samaria. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      97 

The  Greeks  Who  Wished  to  See  Jesus.  John  12:28. 
Near  the  end  of  Jesns'  ministry  he  was  one  day  teaching 
the  muhitudes,  when  some  people  who  were  Greeks 
came  asking  to  see  him.  These  Greeks  were  probably  be- 
lievers in  the  true  God,  for  we  are  told  that  they  had 
come  up  to  Jerusalem  to  worship  at  the  feast.  The 
Greeks  were  a  learned  and  keenly  intellectual  people. 
Jesus  took  time  to  talk  with  these  strangers.  He  told 
them  some  very  deep  and  important  truths  concerning 
why  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  give  up  his  life  in  order 
that  the  world  might  be  saved.  Turning  from  these 
foreigners  who  had  so  earnestly  sought  him,  and  who 
had  doubtless  listened  with  attentive  ears  to  all  he  had 
to  say,  Jesus  warned  the  people  of  his  own  nation.  He 
told  them  that  for  only  a  little  while  longer  the  light 
would  be  with  them  and  that  they  had  best  walk  while 
they  had  the  light  lest  darkness  overtake  them.  He  told 
them  that  he  had  come  "  a  light  into  the  world,  that 
whosoever  believeth  "  on  him  should  not  *'  abide  in  the 
darkness." 

Notebook  Work 

vSuitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  Nicodemus'  Visit 
to  Jesus  (53  Wilde)  :  Jesus  and  the  Woman  of  Samaria, 
by  Hofmann  (55  Wilde). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

HOW  JESUS  PUT  FIRST  THINGS  FIRST 
Luke  10:38-42;  19:1-10;  John,  ch.  9 

In  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  Jesus  told  his  followers 
to  seek  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteousness 
and  that,  Avhen  this  end  was  attained,  all  other  needful 
things  would  be  added  unto  them.  As  we  study  the  life 
of  Jesus  and  his  ways  of  working  we  see  that  he  him- 
self did  the  things  he  asked  his  followers  to  do.  Jesus 
put  first  things  first.  If  we  study  his  motives  and  his 
deeds,  we  see  plainly  that  his  great  goal  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  God's  Kingdom  of  justice  and  truth  in  the 


98      INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

earth.  We  see  that  his  chief  aim  in  all  his  dealings  with 
men  was  to  lead  them  to  become  truly  righteous.  When 
the  poor  paralyzed  man  was  let  down  through  the  roof 
and  lay  on  his  bed  before  Jesus,  the  first  words  the 
Master  spoke  were,  "  Son,  thy  sins  are  forgiven."  In 
this  lesson  we  are  to  study  a  few  other  instances  where 
Jesus  put  first  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  his  righteous- 
ness. 

The  Story  of  the  Man  Bom  Blind.  John,  ch.  9.  One 
day  Jesus  and  his  disciples  saw  a  blind  man  on  the 
streets  of  Jerusalem.  Perhaps  the  disciples  knew  the 
man,  for  they  seem  to  have  been  informed  concerning 
him  and  to  have  known  that  he  was  born  blind.  It  was 
a  common  belief  in  those  days  that  all  such  afflictions 
as  blindness  were  a  direct  punishment  from  God  be- 
cause of  the  afflicted  person's  sin  or  the  wrongdoing  of 
some  one  nearly  related  to  him.  So  the  disciples  said  to 
Jesus,  "  Rabbi,  who  sinned,  this  man,  or  his  parents, 
that  he  should  be  born  blind?"  Jesus  told  them  that 
this  affliction  had  come  upon  the  man  neither  because 
of  his  own  sin  nor  because  of  the  sins  of  his  parents. 
He  told  them  that  the  man  was  blind  in  order  "  that  the 
works  of  God  should  be  made  manifest  in  him." 

Jesus  made  clay  and  put  it  on  the  blind  man's  eyes 
and  said  to  him,  "  Go,  wash  in  the  pool  of  Siloam."  The 
man  went  away  and  did  as  Jesus  had  commanded,  and 
he  was  cured  of  his  blindness.  When  the  neighbors  of 
the  man  who  had  been  blind  saw  him,  thc}^  were  aston- 
ished. Some  could  hardly  believe  that  this  was  the 
same  man  who  had  been  blind  all  his  days.  The  man 
himself,  however,  said  to  all  who  asked  him,  "  I  am  he." 
As  we  follow  this  man  we  shall  see  how  his  loyalty  to 
Jesus  and  his  courageous  defense  of  the  truth  grew 
under  the  opposition  and  persecution  of  the  Jewish  lead- 
ers. Jesus  doubtless  had  this  great  end  ever  in  mind. 
He  was  glad  to  heal  the  man's  ph5Asical  blindness,  but 
he  was  more  anxious  still  to  open  the  man's  spiritual 
vision  so  that  he  might  become  a  worthy  citizen  of 
God's  Kingdom.  Jesus  was  putting  first  things  first  in 
all  his  dealing  with  this  man  who  had  been  born  blind. 

The    neighbors    wished    to    know    how    this    formerly 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS      99 

blind  man  had  received  his  sight.  With  simple  straight- 
forwardness the  man  said,  "  The  man  that  is  called  Jesus 
made  clay,  and  anointed  mine  eyes,  and  said  unto  me, 
Go  to  Siloam,  and  wash :  so  I  went  away  and  washed, 
and  I  received  sight."  The  Pharisees,  as  was  their  usual 
habit,  could  see  nothing  good  in  what  Jesus  had  done. 
In  spiritual  matters  they  were  hopelessly  blind  because 
of  prejudice.  It  was  the  Sabbath  when  Jesus  had  mixed 
up  the  clay  to  put  on  the  blind  man's  eyes.  They  de- 
clared that  Jesus  had  therefore  broken  the  Sabbath  day. 
That  was  all  they  could  see  in  the  whole  matter.  They 
could  not  see  that  a  wonderful  act  of  mercy  and  help- 
fulness, entirely  in  harmony  with  the  spirit  of  the  Sab- 
bath, had  been  wrought. 

The  Pharisees  asked  the  man  how  he  had  received  his 
sight  and  he  told  them.  They  said  to  the  man,  "  What 
sayest  thou  of  him,  in  that  he  opened  thine  eyes?"  The 
man  answered,  "  Pie  is  a  prophet."  The  prophets  were, 
as  you  know,  among  the  greatest  men  the  world  had 
ever  seen  and  in  calling  Jesus  a  prophet  the  man  was 
paying  him  a  very  high  tribute. 

The  Pharisees  could  not  believe  that  the  man  had  been 
blind  and  they  were  angry  when  they  heard  him  call 
Jesus  a  prophet.  So  they  sent  for  the  man's  parents 
and  asked  them  if  this  man  was  their  son  and  if  he  had 
been  born  blind,  but  they  refused  to  discuss  how  he  had 
received  his  sight.  They  said,  "  Ask  him  ;  he  is  of  age ; 
he  shall  speak  for  himself."  They  were  afraid  to  say 
that  Jesus  had  healed  him,  for  the  Jewish  leaders  had 
agreed  to  cast  out  of  the  synagogue,  or  as  we  would 
say  excommunicate,  any  person  who  should  say  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah.  Excommunication  was  a  really 
terrible  punishment.  It  meant  that  the  person  so 
marked  was  to  become  a  social  outcast.  No  one  would 
have  him  in  his  house.  No  one  would  have  any  business 
dealing  with  him.  Excommunication  meant  loss  of  em- 
ployment and   financial   ruin   as  well   as   deep   disgrace. 

Then  the  Pharisees  called  the  man  who  had  been  blind 
and  gave  him  their  decision.  They  said,  "  Give  glory  to 
God:  we  know  that  this  man  is  a  sinner."     The  man 


100    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

answered  courageously,  "  Whether  he  is  a  sinner,  I 
know  not:  one  thing  I  know,  that,  whereas  I  was  bUnd, 
now  I  see."  Then  the  Pharisees  said,  "  What  did  he  to 
thee?  how  opened  he  thine  eyes?"  This  was  in  effect 
saying  something  like  this :  "  You  say  that  you  do  not 
know  whether  or  not  this  man  is  a  sinner;  did  he  not 
break  the  Sabbath  day  by  making  clay  to  put  on  your 
eyes?  Must  he  not  therefore  be  a  sinner,  as  we  have 
said?"  The  man  who  had  been  blind  was  not  ready  to 
set  himself  up  as  a  judge  to  decide  such  nice  points  of 
the  Mosaic  law.  One  great  fact,  however,  stood  out 
clearly:  Jesus  had  healed  him,  and  his  heart  was  full  of 
love  and  gratitude  for  his  benefactor.  He  resented  the 
charge  made  against  Jesus.  He  answered  the  Pharisees 
with  a  show  of  righteous  anger,  '*  I  told  you  even  now, 
and  ye  did  not  hear;  wherefore  would  ye  hear  it  again? 
would  ye  also  become  his  disciples?"  The  slanders  of 
the  Pharisees  had  only  driven  the  man  nearer  to  Jesus, 
and  he  was  now  ready  to  come  out  boldly  and  declare 
himself  a  disciple  of  Jesus. 

This  courageous  statement  of  the  man  who  had  re- 
ceived his  sight  was  answered  with  an  outburst  of 
scofBng  and  reviling  on  the  part  of  the  Pharisees. 
"  Thou  art  his  disciple,"  they  cried,  "  but  we  are  dis- 
ciples of  Moses.  We  know  that  God  hath  spoken  vmto 
Moses :  but  as  for  this  man,  we  know  not  whence  he  is." 
But  neither  threats  nor  ridicule  could  shake  this  man's 
courageous  loyalty  to  Jesus.  He  answered  the  Pharisees 
with  a  statement  so  clear  and  fearless  that  we  can  but 
admire  the  spirit  of  the  one  who  uttered  the  words. 
"  Why,  herein  is  the  marvel,  that  ye  know  not  whence 
he  is,  and  yet  he  opened  mine  eyes.  We  know  that  God 
heareth  not  sinners :  but  if  any  man  be  a  worshipper  of 
God,  and  do  his  will,  him  he  heareth.  Since  the  world 
began  it  was  never  heard  that  any  one  opened  the  eyes 
of  a  man  born  blind.  If  this  man  were  not  from  God, 
he  could  do  nothing."  The  Pharisees  could  answer  only 
with  bitter  personalities  and  by  using  their  power  as 
leaders  of  the  Jewish  religion  to  make  the  brave  man 
suffer  for  his  heroic  defense  of  Jesus.  They  said  to 
him,  "  Thou  wast  altogether  born  in  sins,  and  dost  thou 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     101 

teach  us?"     Then  they  proceeded  to  pass  a  ban  of  ex- 
communication against  him. 

'When  Jesus  heard  that  the  man  had  been  excommuni- 
cated, he  hunted  through  the  city  until  he  found  him. 
When  Jesus  found  the  man,  he  said  to  him,  "  Dost  thou 
believe  on  the  Son  of  God?"  The  man  answered,  "And 
who  is  he,  Lord,  that  I  may  believe  on  him?"  Jesus 
said  unto  him,  "  Thou  hast  both  seen  him,  and  he  it  is 
that  speaketh  with  thee."  Then  the  man  answered, 
**  Lord,  I  believe,"  and  he  worshiped  Jesus. 

Jesus  in  the  Home  of  Zacchasus,  the  Publican.  Luke 
19 :1-10.  One  day  Jesus  was  passing  through  Jericho 
and  there  was  a  great  crowd  of  people  about  him.  In 
the  crowd  was  a  certain  publican  named  Zacchseus. 
This  publican  had  evidently  joined  the  crowd  out  of 
curiosity.  He  wished  to  see  the  great  Teacher  and 
Miracle  Worker.  But  he  was  "  little  of  stature  "  and  he 
could  see  nothing  over  the  heads  of  the  taller  members 
of  the  multitude.  So  he  ran  on  ahead  and  climbed  up  into 
a  tree.  When  Jesus  came  along,  he  looked  up  and,  see- 
ing Zacchseus,  he  said,  "  Zacchseus,  make  haste,  and  come 
down:  for  to-day  I  must  abide  at  thy  house."  Greatly 
surprised  and  at  the  same  time  delighted,  Zacchseus  came 
down  the  tree  and  receiving  Jesus  he  took  him  to  his 
house. 

What  do  you  suppose  Jesus  talked  about  as  he  sat 
with  Zacchseus  in  his  house  and  at  his  table?  Did  he 
talk  about  the  weather,  the  markets,  or  the  trials  and 
profits  of  a  taxgatherer?  We  know  that  he  must  have 
talked  of  other  things,  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness,  for  his  visit  with  the  publican  had  some 
remarkable  results.  As  Jesus  was  taking  leave, 
Zacchseus  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  I  am  going  to  give  away 
half  of  all  my  property  to  the  poor,  and  if  I  have 
wronged  any  man  I  am  going  to  restore  to  him  four- 
fold." As  Jesus  left  the  house,  his  farewell  words  were  : 
"  To-day  is  salvation  come  to  this  house,  forasmuch  as 
he  also  is  a  son  of  Abraham.  For  the  Son  of  man  came 
to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was  lost." 

Jesus  in  the  Home  at  Bethany.  Luke  10:38-42.  After 
Jesus  began  his  ministry,  he  had  no  home  of  his  own. 


102     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  3CHOOL  LESSONS 

He  must  have  felt  keenly  this  deprivation  for  we  may 
well  believe  that  he  was  a  lover  of  home.  His  thirty 
quiet  years  at  Nazareth  would  imply  as  much.  There 
is  a  tone  of  loneliness  in  his  words,  "  The  foxes  have 
holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  heaven  have  nests ;  but  the 
Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to  lay  his  head."  There  was 
at  least  one  home,  however,  always  open  to  Jesus,  and 
it  was  a  place  where  he  evidently  delighted  to  withdraw 
from  the  jostling  crowds  and  the  distressing  opposition 
of  his  enemies.  This  was  the  home  of  Mary  and  Martha 
and  Lazarus  in  the  village  of  Bethany. 

Jesus  and  his  disciples  once  came  into  this  humble 
home  for  a  brief  rest.  Martha  was  at  the  door  to  bid 
them  welcome ;  then  she  busied  herself  with  the  prepara- 
tion of  food  for  the  company.  Mary,  however,  sat  down 
at  Jesus'  feet  and  listened  as  he  talked  to  her  and  the 
disciples  about  the  things  of  the  Kingdom  and  the  true 
elements  of  personal  righteousness.  Mary  was  so  in- 
terested that  she  forgot  all  about  the  dinner.  Martha 
was  "  cumbered  about  much  serving,"  and  indeed  it 
was  no  light  task  to  prepare  food  for  thirteen  hungry 
men.  As  Martha  saw  her  sister  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus,  listening  to  him  and'  making  no  move  to  help  her, 
she  became  more  and  more  provoked.  She  felt  that  her 
sister  did  not  care  so  much  as  she  ought  about  having 
the  dinner  ready  on  time  and  everything  in  first-class 
order.  She  felt  that  Jesus  did  not  care  so  much  as  he 
ought,  or  he  would  not  keep  her  sister  sitting  there  and 
leave  her  to  do  all  the  work. 

At  last  Martha  came  up  and  with  hasty  and  discourte- 
ous address  said  to  Jesus,  "  Lord,  dost  thou  not  care 
that  my  sister  did  leave  me  to  serve  alone?  bid  her 
therefore  that  she  help  me."  The  Bible  says  that  a  soft 
answer  turns  away  wrath,  and  it  was  with  gentle  and 
kindly  reproof  that  Jesus  said  to  his  friend,  "  Martha, 
Martha,  thou  art  anxious  and  troubled  about  many 
things :  but  one  thing  is  needful :  for  Mary  hath  chosen 
the  good  part,  which  shall  not  be  taken  away  from  her." 

The^  Lksson  Prayi:r 
In  the  life  of  Jesus,  we  have,  our  heavenly  Father,  a 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSOxNS     103 

perfect  pattern  for  our  own  lives.  In  his  teachings  there 
is  light  and  truth.  Give  us  diligence,  therefore,  in  the 
study  of  thy  Word  that  we  may  know  our  Saviour  more 
perfectly  and  may  honor  thee  more  fully  by  living  in 
harmony  with  thy  will.  Forgive  us  our  transgressions 
and  teach  us  to  love  thee  more  perfectly  in  the  future 
than  we  have  in  the  past.  We  ask  in  Jesus  name. 
Amen. 

Thk  Lksson  Hymn 

Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side? 

Who  will  serve  the  King? 
Who  will  be  his  helpers, 

Other  lives  to  bring? 
Who  will  leave  the  world's  side? 

Who  will  face  the  foe? 
Who  is  on  the  Lord's  side? 

Who  for  him  will  go? 
By  thy  call  of  mercy, 

By  thy  grace  divine, 
We  are  on  the  Lord's  side, 
Saviour,  we  are  thine. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  369. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

PUTTING  GOD'S  KINGDOM  AND  HIS  RIGHTEOUS- 
NESS FIRST 

Phil.   3:7-16 

We  have  been  considering  in  our  week-day  and  our 
Sunday  lesson  how  Jesus  put  first  things  first  in  his 
teachings  and  in  his  labors.  Our  Scripture  lesson  for 
this  expressional  meeting  shows  us  how  one  of  the  great 
followers  of  Jesus  put  first  things  first.  Paul  tells  us  in 
these  verses  some  of  the  things  he  had  given  up  in  order 
to  have  fellowship  with  Jesus,  and  in  order  that  he 
might  gain  the  righteousness  which  is  like  the  righteous- 
of  Christ.  "  The  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus  " 
was  the  goal  of  Paul's  life.  In  the  life  and  teachings  of 
Jesus,  God  calls  us  to  perfect  righteousness.    To  be  like 


104     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Jesus  in  helpfulness,  in  sincerity,  in  broadness  of  sym- 
pathy, in  devotion  to  all  that  is  good  and  just — these  are 
the  elements  of  character  to  which  God  calls  us  in  his 
Son.  These  are  the  first  things  of  life.  They  are  first 
in  importance  and  their  attainment  should  be  given  first 
consideration  in  all  our  plans  and  all  our  activities. 
These  are  the  things  for  vv^hich  even  boys  and  girls  ought 
to  live  and  for  the  attainment  of  which  they  ought  to 
count  no  price  too  great. 

Bible:  Verses 

Luke  12:22-34;  John  6:35;  James  1:12;  I  John  2:15- 
17  ;  Matt.  13 :44-46. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Tell  of  the  three  instances  in  which  Nicodemus  is 
mentioned  in  the  Gospels. 

2.  Why  did  Jesus  enter  into  conversation  with  the 
woman  of  Samaria? 

3.  What  did  Jesus  say  to  the  Greeks  who  came  to 
see  him  ? 

4.  In  what  respects  was  the  man  born  blind  superior 
to  the  Pharisees  in  character? 

5.  What  were  the  results  of  Jesus'  visit  in  the  home 
of  Zacchseus? 

6.  What  lessons  can  we  learn  from  the  story  of 
Jesus'  visit  to  the  home  in  Bethany? 

Study  Topics 

1.  Is  It  Right  to  Stay  Away  from  Church  in  Order 
to  Prepare  a  Sunday  Dinner? 

2.  Esau:  A  Young  Man  Who  Did  Not  Put  First 
Things  First.    Gen.  25  :27-34. 

3.  A  Thirteen-Year  Old  Girl  Who  AVould  Like  to 
Come  to  the  Week-Day  Church  School  Class  Is  a  Mem- 
ber of  a  Basket-Ball  Club  Which  ]\Ieets  at  the  Same 
Hour.    What  Should  She  Do? 

4.  Does  a   Merchant  Who  Crowds  Another   Out  of 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     105 

Business  by  Underselling  Him,  Put  God's  Kingdom  and 
His  Righteousness  First? 

5.  How  Can  We  Use  Our  Friendship  So  As  to  Pro- 
mote Righteousness  in  the  World? 

6.  How  Can  We  Use  Our  Money  So  As  to  Help 
Build  God's  Kingdom? 

7.  Show  How  Jesus  Put  Righteousness  First  When 
He  Was  Tempted  in  the  Wilderness. 

8.  Show  How  Jesus  Put  Righteousness  First  When 
He  Asked  John  to  Baptize  Him. 

9.  When  John  the  Baptist  Heard  of  the  W^ickedness 
of  Herod,  Did  He  Follow  a  Policy  of  "  Safety  First,"  or 
of  "  Righteousness  First  "? 

10.  Tell  Something  About  a  Great  American  States- 
man Who  Said,  "  I  Would  Rather  Be  Right  Than  to  Be 
President." 

The  Law  of  De:votion  to  Righte:ousne:ss  as  the^ 
Supreme:  Vaeue 

There  is  no  value  great  enough  to  justify  a  sacrifice 
of  justice,  righteousness,  and  truth  in  order  that  it  may 
be  attained.  We  are  never  to  do  that  which  is  wrong  in 
the  belief  that  good  will  come  from  our  acts.  There- 
fore: 

1.  We  will  make  personal  righteousness  a  standard 
of  life  which  we  will  endeavor  to  maintain.  W^e  will 
strive  to  do  right  no  matter  Avhat  the  results  may  be. 

2.  We  will  seek  to  establish  righteousness  in  all  those 
organizations  of  which  we  are  a  part.  We  will  try  to 
make  righteousness  the  standard  in  our  homes,  our 
schools,  and  in  our  play. 

3.  We  will  study  diligently  the  life  and  teachings  of 
Jesus  in  order  that  we  may  understand  the  nature  of 
true  righteousness. 


CHAPTER  IX 

SOME  PARABLES  OF  JESUS 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

LESSONS  CONCERNING  THE  KINGDOM 
Matt.,  ch.  13;  Mark  4:26-29 

Much  of  the  teaching-  of  Jesus  was  given  in  the  form 
of  parables.  A  parable  is  a  short  story  drawn  from  the 
everyday  events  of  life  and  used  to  impress  some 
spiritual  truth  which  the  parable  illustrates.  Jesus 
chose  this  method  of  teaching  because  it  was  well  suited 
to  give  to  those  earnestly  seeking  the  truth  the  guidance 
and  light  they  desired.  It  was  likewise  less  liable  to 
awaken  faultfinding  than  some  other  methods,  and  Jesus 
never  raised  unnecessary  opposition,  if  he  could  avoid  it. 
Many  of  the  parables  of  Jesus  had  to  do  with  the  na- 
ture of  the  Kingdom  he  had  come  to  establish  on  earth. 

The  Parable  of  the  Sower.  Matt.  13:1-23.  One  day 
when  there  was  a  very  great  multitude  about  him,  Jesus 
entered  into  a  boat  and  pushed  out  a  little  way  from  the 
land.  Then  he  sat  down  in  the  boat  and  taught  the 
people  who  were  seated  on  the  beach  and  on  the  slop- 
ing hills  behind.  As  he  sat  thus  in  the  boat,  he  spoke 
to  the  people  in  parables.  His  first  parable  was  about 
a  farmer  who  went  out  to  sow  grain.  In  Palestine  there 
are  often  beaten  paths  winding  through  the  grainfields. 
The  ground  under  these  paths  becomes  so  hard  that  the 
poor  kind  of  plows  used  by  the  peasant  farmers  cannot 
stir  it.  Some  of  the  grain  which  this  farmer  sowed  fell 
on  these  hard  pathways  and  the  birds  came  and  de- 
voured it.  Some  of  the  grain  fell  on  thin  soil — that  is, 
there  was  just  a  little  soil,  a  few  inches  deep,  and  un- 
derneath that  was  the  bedrock.  The  grain  Avhich  fell  on 
this  soil  sprang  up  quickly.     It  was  green  and  strong  for 

106 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     107 

a  little  while,  but  when  the  weather  began  to  get  dry 
and  the  sun  became  hot,  it  withered  away  and  there  was 
no  grain  at  all  on  these  stony  patches  when  harvest  time 
came. 

Thorny  weeds  and  bushes  are  very  abundant  in  Pales- 
tine. They  are  a  foe  to  every  farmer,  for  many  of  them 
have  strong  perennial  roots  and  are  very  hard  to  destroy. 
So  long  as  a  fragment  of  a  root  remains  in  the  ground,  it 
will  grow  and  ultimately  crowd  out  the  grain.  These 
thorns  have  a  tendency  to  preempt  the  most  fertile  por- 
tion of  the  field.  Some  of  the  grain  which  this  farmer 
sowed  fell  into  ground  full  of  these  thorn  roots.  When 
the  wheat  sprang  up,  the  thorns  sprang  up  too,  and  they 
grew  so  much  faster  than  the  wheat  that  the  wheat  was 
smothered  and  finally  died  without  producing  any  grain. 

But  some  of  the  grain  fell  into  good  ground  and 
brought  forth  a  harvest.  Some  parts  of  the  field  yielded 
thirty  times  as  much  grain  as  had  been  sowed  on  them, 
some  sixty  times  as  much,  and  some  even  a  hundred 
times  as  much. 

This  parable  of  Jesus  is  a  wonderful  picture  of  human 
nature  and  the  way  in  which  different  people  respond  to 
the  appeal  of  righteousness.  Some  people  are  so  hard- 
ened in  wickedness  that  they  care  for  none  of  these 
things.  They  are  the  wayside  people.  They  seldom 
turn  to  a  life  of  righteousness  unless  there  is  some  tre- 
mendous upheaval  in  their  lives,  some  disaster  which 
sweeps  away  all  the  things  on  which  they  have  set  their 
hearts  and  in  the  pursuit  of  which  they  waste  their  lives. 
Then  there  are  other  people  who  are  like  the  stony 
ground  on  which  the  Adieat  sprang  up  quickly  and  made 
a  promise  of  abundant  harvest,  but  which  ultimately 
failed  completely.  Have  you  ever  known  anyone  of  this 
type?  They  respond  quickly  to  an  appeal  and  are  all 
enthusiasm  for  a  time,  but  afterward  they  *'  play  out." 
They  lose  their  enthusiasm  and  finally  end  by  accom- 
plishing nothing  at  all.  Then  there  are  the  preoccupied 
people.  They  have  so  many  engagements  and  are  so 
busy  that  they  give  no  time  to  the  cultivation  of  right- 
eousness either  in  their  own  lives  or  in  the  lives  of  other 
people.      ]\Iany   of   these   "  thorny   ground   people "   are 


108    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

possessed  of  great  ability  and  could  make  their  lives  a 
blessing  to  their  fellow  men  if  they  were  not  so  busy 
with  things  which,  after  all,  do  not  count  for  very  much. 

But  there  was  also  the  good  ground  that  brought 
forth  fruit,  ^'  some  a  hundredfold,  some  sixty,  some 
thirty."  Some  parts  of  the  field  were  naturally  less 
fruitful  than  others  and  of  course  produced  less  grain, 
but  all  parts  that  brought  forth  a  harvest  were  called 
"  good  ground." 

Jesus  did  not  mean  to  imply  that  people  must  inevita- 
bly fall  into  one  or  the  other  of  these  classes.  We 
usually  become  the  kind  of  ground  our  choices  and  our 
habits  make  us.  No  boy  or  girl  of  Intermediate  age  is  a 
"  hardened  ground  "  person  as  yet,  and  none  of  them 
need  ever  fall  into  that  unfortunate  condition.  None 
of  them  are  really  "  shallow  ground  "  people.  Fickle- 
ness and  undependability  are  usually  the  results  of  our 
habits,  not  traits  of  character  which  we  have  inherited. 
No  boy  or  girl  is  a  "  thorny  ground "  person  as  yet. 
They  may  become  so  if  they  form  the  habit  of  giving 
their  time  and  energy  to  things  that  are  not  first  in  im- 
portance. All  boys  and  girls  may  become  "  good 
ground  "  persons,  bearing  fruit  for  righteousness,  "  some 
a  hundredfold,  some  sixty,  some  thirty." 

Parable  of  the  Tares.  Matt.  13:24-30,  36-43.  Jesus 
told  about  another  farmer  who  sowed  good  seed  in  his 
field.  But  while  this  farmer  slept  an  enemy  came  and 
sowed  tares  all  over  the  field  where  the  wheat  had  just 
been  sown.  The  word  *'  tares "  refers  to  a  kind  of 
poisonous  wild  grass  called  the  bearded  darnel.  It  looks 
almost  exactly  like  wheat  while  it  is  growing,  but  when 
it  forms  heads  they  are  seen  to  be  very  different  from 
heads  of  wheat.  If  this  darnel  is  allowed  to  remain  with 
the  wheat  until  it  is  milled,  it  adds  certain  poisonous 
substances  to  the  flour  and  thus  causes  sickness  and 
death. 

When  this  farmer's  wheat  began  to  form  heads,  the 
darnel  became  visible.  The  farmer's  servants  came  to 
him  and  said,  "  Sir,  didst  thou  not  sow  good  seed  in  thy 
field?  whence  then  hath  it  tares?"  The  owner  of  the 
field   replied,   "  An   enemy   hath   done   this."     Then   the 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     109 

servants  said,  "Wilt  thou  then  that  we  go  and  gather 
them  up?"  But  the  owner  said,  "  Nay;  lest  haply  while 
ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  the  wheat  with  them. 
Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest:  and  in  the 
time  of  the  harvest  I  will  say  to  the  reapers,  Gather  up 
first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bundles  to  burn  them ; 
but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn." 

Jesus  evidently  gave  his  disciples  this  parable  that 
they  might  understand  something  of  why  there  is  a 
mingling  of  good  and  evil  in  the  world  and  even  within 
the  circles  of  the  Church.  The  parable  teaches  us 
that  God  has  made  everything  good  and  pure,  but 
that  there  has  come  into  God's  creation  that  which  is 
evil,  the  sowing  of  an  enemy,  seeking  to  destroy  and  de- 
feat the  plans  of  God.  It  likewise  shows  us  that  while 
this  mixture  of  good  and  evil  is  to  continue  for  a  time, 
in  the  end  evil  will  be  destroyed. 

Two  Parables  Showing  the  Growth  of  the  Kingdom. 
Matt.  13  :31-33.  The  parable  of  the  Mustard  Seed  and 
the  parable  of  the  Leaven  teach  us  the  way  in  which 
God's  Kingdom  on  earth  is  to  grow.  At  first  it  is  to  be 
very  small,  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed.  But  it  will 
grow  until  it  fills  all  the  earth.  Perhaps  the  beginnings 
of  the  Kingdom  sometimes  seemed  small  to  the  dis- 
ciples. Like  other  Jews  they  had  expected  great  and 
sudden  changes  when  the  Messiah  came.  Jesus  told 
them  that  the  movement  for  making  all  the  world 
righteous  must  have  a  small  beginning. 

The  parable  of  the  Leaven  shows  us  the  same  truth 
as  the  parable  of  the  Mustard  Seed.  It  also  suggests 
that  God's  Kingdom  on  earth  is  to  grow  through  per- 
sonal contacts.  As  each  grain  of  meal  becomes  leavened, 
it  leavens  others  which  it  touches.  So  our  lives,  if  they 
are  truly  righteous,  will  influence  and  change  all  other 
lives  which  we  touch. 

Two  Parables  Showing  the  Value  of  the  Kingdom. 
Matt.  13:44-46.  The  parable  of  the  Hidden  Treasure 
and  the  parable  of  the  Pearl  of  Great  Price  teach  us  the 
great  value  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  As  the  disciples 
came  to  know  that  there  was  not  to  be  a  kingdom  of  the 
kind  they   expected,   not  a  throne   and  an   army  and   a 


no     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

wide  rule  over  the  nations  by  force,  they  needed  to  gain 
an  understanding  of  the  far  greater  value  of  the  kind  of 
kingdom  Jesus  was  trying  to  establish.  All  of  them, 
with  the  exception  of  Judas  Iscariot,  finally  gained  this 
larger  view  of  the  truth.  When  Jesus  gave  them  these 
parables  he  was  trying  to  show  them  these  higher 
and  truer  values.  The  Kingdom  was  like  treasure 
hid  in  a  field.  A  man  on  finding  it  went  and  sold  all 
that  he  had  and  bought  the  field.  The  Kingdom  was 
like  a  pearl  of  such  great  value  that  a  merchant  might 
wisely  sell  everything  he  had  to  buy  that  one  pearl. 

The  Parable  of  the  Seed  Growing  of  Itself.  Mark 
4:26-29.  The  parables  we  have  just  been  studying  seem 
to  refer  primarily  to  the  growth  and  value  of  the  King- 
dom of  God  in  the  world.  The  parable  we  are  now  tak- 
ing up  seems  to  refer  more  especially  to  the  growth  of 
the  Kingdom  of  God  in  the  individual.  Righteousness 
is  not  reached  at  a  single  bound.  Individuals  do  not  be- 
come fully  equipped  servants  of  God  in  a  moment  of 
time.  The  growth  of  religion  is  a  gradual  process, 
beautiful  and  simple  and  yet  so  profoundly  significant 
that  no  one  can  ever  fathom  its  mystery.  It  is  like  the 
growth  of  a  stalk  of  grain.  It  is  "  first  the  blade,  then 
the  ear,  then  the  full  grain  in  the  ear." 

Note:book  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  Parable  of  the 
AAHieat  and  the  Tares  (694  Wilde)  ;  Parable  of  the 
Sower,  by  Robert  (77  Wilde). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

PARABLES  WHICH  TEACH  THE  UNIVERSAL  AND 
PERSEVERING  LOVE  OF  GOD 

Luke,  ch.  15 

Some  of  the  grandest  of  the  parables  of  Jesus  were 
spoken  in  answer  to  the  sneering  remark  of  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees,  "This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     111 

with  them."  It  was  like  Jesus  to  answer  such  scoffing 
with  words  of  eternal  light  and  truth.  We  can  feel  as 
we  read  these  parables  the  earnest  desire  of  Jesus  to 
give  to  these  spiritually  blind  critics  some  insight  into 
the  truth  of  God.  These  remarks  of  the  enemies  of 
Jesus  grew  out  of  a  sadly  perverted  conscience.  They 
were  suffering  from  a  threefold  misconception,  though 
their  unfortunate  spiritual  condition  was  the  direct  re- 
sult of  their  own  evil  choices.  They  had  wrong  ideas 
about  the  people  they  called  "  sinners."  Many  of  these 
people  were  at  heart  far  better  than  most  of  the  scribes 
and  Pharisees.  They  did  not  know  much  about  the  end- 
less rules  which  the  rabbis  had  built  about  the  law  of 
Moses,  but  their  hearts  were  for  the  most  part  sincere. 
They  at  least  made  no  very  large  claims  to  being 
righteous  and  were  therefore  largely  free  from  the  re- 
pulsive sin  of  hypocrisy. 

In  the  second  place  these  scribes  and  Pharisees  had 
wrong  ideas  about  themselves.  They  believed  that  they 
were  very  righteous  because  they  had  learned  the  rules 
concerning  the  law  of  Moses  and  were  particular  about 
many  trifling  matters.  They  did  not  seem  to  realize 
that  their  hearts  were  full  of  envy  and  jealousy  and 
hatred  and  pride. 

In  the  third  place,  they  had  wrong  ideas  about  God. 
This  misunderstanding  was  the  most  serious  of  all,  for 
when  a  person  has  wrong  ideas  about  God  he  cannot 
think  correctly  on  moral  matters  and  his  life  lies  open 
to  vast  iniquities.  Jesus  was  trying  to  cure  these  scribes 
and  Pharisees  of  their  threefold  error.  He  was  trying 
to  show  them  how  precious  in  God's  sight  were  the 
people  they  called  "  sinners."  He  was  trying  to  help 
them  to  see  some  of  their  own  defects  of  character,  for 
no  one  can  make  moral  improvement  so  long  as  he 
thinks  himself  spiritually  perfect.  Most  of  all,  he  was 
trying  to  give  them  better  and  truer  ideas  about  God. 

The  Shepherd  of  the  Lost  Sheep.  Luke  15  :l-7.  The 
first  story  which  Jesus  told  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
was  simple  and  beautiful.  It  was  about  a  kind-hearted 
shepherd  who  had  a  hundred  sheep.  One  of  these  sheep 
had  strayed  away  from  the  sheepfold  and  was  lost  some- 


112     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

where  in  the  desert  wilderness.  It  was  a  story  well 
suited  for  the  purpose  of  Jesus  for  the  Jews  were  a  na- 
tion of  shepherds.  Practically  everyone  in  the  land  of 
Judah  kept  at  least  a  few  sheep.  We  can  best  catch  the 
message  of  this  parable  if  we  consider  it  in  the  very 
words  of  Jesus : 

"  What  man  of  you,  having  a  hundred  sheep,  and  having  lost 
one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine  in  the  wilder- 
ness, and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until  he  find  it?  And  when 
he  hath  found  it,  he  layeth  it  on  his  shoulders,  rejoicing.  And 
when  he  cometh  home,  he  calleth  together  his  friends  and  his 
neighbors,  saying  unto  them,  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  ha,ve  found 
my  sheep  which  was  lost.  I  say  unto  you,  that  even  so  there 
shall  be  joy  in  heaven  over  one  sinner  that  repenteth,  more 
than  over  ninety  and  nine  righteous  persons,  who  need  no  re- 
pentance."'— Luke  15:4-7. 

It  was  evidently  Jesus'  intention  in  this  parable  to 
give  his  critics  light  on  the  threefold  error  which  we 
have  noted.  These  people  they  called  "  sinners  "  were 
not  worthless  trash.  They  were  precious  in  the  sight  of 
God.  God  is  not  indifferent  to  his  children,  even  though 
they  have  disobeyed  him  and  gone  astray  like  lost  sheep. 
They  are  not  to  be  considered  as  being  outside  the  love 
of  God.  God  is  like  a  good  shepherd  who  keeps  safe  his 
sheep  that  are  within  the  fold  but  who  cares  also  for 
the  sheep  that  have  strayed.  The  shepherd  had  ninety- 
nine  sheep  left  and  the  natural  increase  of  his  flock 
would,  in  a  little  while,  more  than  make  good  the  loss 
of  one  sheep.  But  everything  in  the  story  shows  that  it 
was  not  merely  the  money  value  of  the  sheep  that  caused 
the  shepherd  to  seek  it  so  diligently.  He  cared  for  the 
sheep  itself.  Jesus  was  trying  to  show  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  that  God's  love  is  like  the  love  of  a  father  or 
a  mother  for  a  child.  The  love  of  a  good  father  and  a 
good  mother  for  their  children  does  not  grow  less  and 
less  as  the  number  of  children  in  the  family  increases. 

The  Lost  Piece  of  Money.  Luke  15:8-10.  Jesus  told 
another  short  story  to  the  scribes  and  Pharisees  who 
scoffed  at  him  for  eating  with  "  sinners."  It  was  about 
a  woman  who  had  ten  pieces  of  silver.  This  woman  lost 
one   of   her   pieces   of   money   and   was   very   much    dis- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     113 

tressed.  She  lighted  a  lamp  and  swept  the  house 
and  sought  diligently  until  she  found  the  piece 
of  money  that  she  had  lost.  When  she  at  last  found  it, 
she  was  so  glad  that  she  called  her  neighbors  and  friends 
and  said  to  them,  "  Rejoice  with  me,  for  I  have  found 
the  piece  which  I  had  lost."  Then  Jesus  said  to  those 
who  had  criticized  him  for  receiving  "  sinners  "  and  for 
eating  with  them,  "  Even  so,  I  say  unto  you,  there  is  joy 
in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repenteth." 

Like  the  parable  of  the  Lost  Sheep,  this  parable  shows 
us  the  persevering  love  of  God.  He  not  only  loves  his 
wandering  children  but  he  seeks  them,  seeks  them  dili- 
gently and  until  he  finds  them.  Those  whom  the  Phari- 
sees called  "  sinners  "  were  coming  back  to  God  through 
their  fellowship  with  Jesus,  and  if  the  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees had  really  known  the  extent  and  nature  of  God's 
love,  they  would  have  known  that  angels  were  rejoicing 
at  the  coming  again  home  of  these  wandering  children 
of  the  Father  in  heaven.  If  the  scribes  and  Pharisees 
had  not  had  hearts  full  of  pride  and  envy  and  jealousy, 
they  would  have  rejoiced,  too,  in  the  home-coming  of 
their  wandering  brethren. 

The  Father  of  the  ProdigaL  Luke  15:11-32.  The 
parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son  is  one  of  the  most  sublime 
of  the  utterances  of  Jesus.  It  forms  a  climax  to  the 
matchless  answer  which  Jesus  made  to  those  who 
scoffed  at  him  for  receiving  sinners  and  for  eating  with 
them.  The  son  who  asked  for  his  share  of  the  property 
and  then  went  away  and  spent  his  money  in  riotous  liv- 
ing is  a  picture  of  those  whom  the  Pharisees  called  "  sin- 
ners." The  father  of  the  prodigal  is  a  picture  of  the 
Father  in  heaven,  who  grants  his  children  liberty ;  free- 
dom to  depart  from  him,  if  they  are  determined  to  do 
so ;  freedom  to  waste  the  Father's  good  gifts  in  riot- 
ous living.  But  the  Father  in  heaven,  like  the  father 
of  the  prodigal,  never  forgets  his  children,  nor  does  he 
cease  to  love  them.  He  knows  of  their  first  thoughts 
of  a  return.  While  they  are  yet  a  great  way  off,  he  sees 
them  and  hastens  to  meet  them.  He  gives  the  best  robe 
to  the  prodigal  and  receives  him  home  with  rejoicing. 


114    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

This  last  of  the  three  parables  of  the  chapter  contains 
an  excellent  portrait  of  the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  They 
are  pictured  perfectly  in  the  elder  brother  of  the  prodi- 
gal. This  young  man  had  some  excellent  traits  of  char- 
acter. He  was  evidently  industrious  and  free  from 
many  of  the  faults  of  his  younger  brother,  but  he  had 
certain  grave  "  sins  of  the  disposition."  He  was  in- 
tensely selfish.  His  selfishness  kept  him  from  being 
glad  when  his  brother  came  home.  It  caused  him  to 
mar  the  happy  occasion  and  to  bring  shame  and  sorrow 
to  his  old  father.  It  made  him  refuse  to  go  into  the 
house  and  stand  around  and  sulk  when  everyone 
else  was  rejoicing.  "  Lo,  these  many  years  do  I  serve 
thee,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  commandment  of  thine ; 
and  yet  thou  never  gavest  me  a  kid,  that  I  might  make 
merry  with  my  friends:  but  when  this  thy  son  came, 
who  hath  devoured  thy  living  with  harlots,  thou  killedst 
for  him  the  fatted  calf."  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a 
more  selfish  expression  than  this  in  all  literature.  Note 
how  many  times  the  elder  brother  uses  the  first  person 
singular  of  the  personal  pronoun.  It  is  "  I,  my,  me " 
with  him  all  the  way  through.  Note  his  sneering  "  this 
thy  son."  He  does  not  say  "  my  brother,"  but  "  this 
thy  son."  He  was  self-righteous.  "  Lo,  these  many 
years  do  I  serve  thee,  and  I  never  transgressed  a  com- 
mandment of  thine."  What  he  said  may  have  been  true, 
in  a  sense,  but  it  seems  questionable  when  we  remember 
that  he  had  just  refused  to  enter  the  house  to  greet  his 
brother,  even  when  his  father  came  out  and  entreated 
him.  After  all,  that  was  the  fundamental  sin  of  the 
scribes  and  Pharisees.  They  were  selfish.  Selfishness 
made  them  envious,  jealous,  haughty,  cruel.'  Selfish- 
ness kept  them  from  being  glad  when  they  saw  Jesus 
winning  those  they  called  "  sinners."  Selfishness  made 
them  despise  their  fellow  men  in  their  self-righteous 
pride,  for  it  kept  them  thinking  about  their  own  good- 
ness and  other  people's  faults.  The  words  of  Jesus  were 
a  message  from  God  to  these  sulky  and  selfish  elder 
brothers  of  the  Jewish  race.  They  reveal  the  sorrow  in 
the  heart  of  God  and  the  reproof  which  he  must  give  to 
all  who  refuse  to  be  brotherly.     "  It  was  meet  to  make 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     115 

merry  and  be  glad :  for  this  thy  brother  was  dead,  and 
is  alive  again ;  was  lost,  and  is  found." 

The:  Lesson  Prayer 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  thank  thee  for  the  parables 
of  Jesus  which  we  have  been  studying.  They  have 
many  lessons  which  we  need  to  learn.  Help  us  to  know 
thee  better  than  we  have  known  thee  in  the  past.  Help 
us  to  understand  something  of  thy  great  love  for  all  thy 
children.  And  help  us,  our  Father,  to  be  brotherly  to 
all  thy  children.  Save  us  from  the  sins  of  the  disposi- 
tion so  clearly  shown  in  the  character  of  the  elder 
brother.  Grant  that  we  may  never  wander  far  from  thee 
and  that  we  may  not  waste  our  lives  in  riotous  living. 
Help  us  to  seek  thee  earnestly  early  in  life  and  give  all 
our  years  to  thy  service.  Grant  that,  like  Jesus  thy  son, 
we  may  grow  strong  in  spirit  and  may  the  grace  of  our 
God  be  upon  us.    Amen. 

The  Lesson  Hymn 

Joyful,  joyful,  we  adore  thee, 
God  of  glory,  Lord  of  love; 
Hearts  unfold  like  flowers  before  thee. 

Opening  to  the  sun  above. 
Melt  the  clouds  of  sin  and  sadness. 
Drive  the  dark  of  doubt  away. 
Giver  of  immortal  gladness. 

Fill  us  with  the  light  to-day. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  115. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

INTELLECTUAL  INTEGRITY 
Matt.  12:24-37 

The  Pharisees  were  lacking  in  a  quality  of  character 
which  we  have  come  to  call  intellectual  integrity.  They 
were  intellectually  dishonest.  They  did  not  judge  mat- 
ters in  the  light  of  the  facts  but  in  the  light  of  their  own 
prejudices.     They  were  envious  of  Jesus  and  their  dis- 


116    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  vSCHOOL  LESSONS 

like  for  him  kept  them  from  seeing  anything  good  in  his 
wonderful  messages  of  truth  and  his  acts  of  mercy  and 
helpfulness.  In  our  Scripture  lesson  we  are  told  how 
Jesus  healed  a  man  who  was  blind  and  dumb.  The 
people  were  amazed  and  were  asking  one  another,  "  Can 
this  be  the  son  of  David?"  But  the  Pharisees  could 
see  nothing  good  in  what  Jesus  had  done,  at  least  noth- 
ing to  lead  them  to  believe  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah. 
On  other  occasions  they  had  found  fault  with  Jesus  for 
healing  on  the  Sabbath  day.  In  this  case  the  cure  was 
not  wrought  on  the  Sabbath  so  they  could  not  find  fault 
on  that  score.  Nevertheless,  they  said  that  Jesus  was 
using  the  power  of  the  prince  of  demons  to  bring  about 
his  cures. 

Intellectual  dishonesty  is  one  of  the  most  subtle,  as 
well  as  one  of  the  most  dangerous,  sins.  There  are 
thousands  of  people  who  have  this  fault  and  who  hardly 
know  that  they  are  afflicted  with  it.  There  are  thou- 
sands of  people  who  would  not  tell  a  lie  with  their 
words,  but  who  do  tell  lies  in  other  ways,  by  their  ac- 
tions and  deep  down  in  their  thoughts.  A  little  boy 
four  years  old  is  eating  his  breakfast  of  oatmeal,  bread 
and  butter,  and  milk.  He  takes  a  notion  that  he  would 
like  a  piece  of  pound  cake  for  breakfast  and  asks  his 
mother  to  give  it  to  him.  His  mother  replies,  "  No,  my 
son,  you  must  not  have  pound  cake  for  breakfast;  it 
would  not  be  good  for  you."  Then  the  little  fellow  be- 
gins to  sulk.  He  refuses  to  eat  any  more.  He  goes  off 
in  a  corner  and  these  are  the  thoughts  that  are  running 
through  his  head:  "  My  mother  doesn't  wish  me  to  have 
anything  to  eat  for  breakfast.  So  I  won't  eat  a  thing 
and  then  maybe  I  will  get  sick.  Maybe  I  will  die  and 
then  I  guess  she  will  be  sorry."  Now  that  little  fellow 
isn't  thinking  honestly  at  all.  Down  in  his  heart  he 
knows  that  his  mother  is  just  as  good  to  him  as  she  can 
be.  If  he  doesn't  get  over  that  way  of  thinking,  it  is 
apt  to  get  worse  and  worse  and  when  he  becomes  a  man 
he  won't  be  able  to  think  in  any  other  way. 

Sometimes  the  parents  of  boys  and  girls  forbid  them 
to  do  certain  things,  such  as  going  down  town  at  night, 
and    these    boys    and    girls    do    some   of    this    dishonest 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     117 

thinking  and  say  within  themselves,  "  Father  and  mother 
do  not  wish  me  to  have  a  good  time."  They  know,  how- 
ever, that  this  is  not  the  case.  They  know  that  this  is 
not  the  reason  why  their  parents  forbid  them  the  privi- 
lege they  desire.  They  know  that  their  parents  really 
live  and  labor  that  their  children  may  have  joys  and  op- 
portunities. Every  boy  or  girl  who  finds  this  dishonest 
thinking  coming  up  in  the  mind  should  say  firmly  and 
finally,  "  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan."  This  sin  of  dis- 
honest thinking  is  really  very  serious.  Jesus  told  the 
Pharisees  who  had  so  large  a  measure  of  this  fault,  that 
they  were  in  danger  of  committing  a  sin  that  could  never 
be  forgiven. 

BiBLK  Vkrsks 

Deut.  32:3,  4;  Ps.  25:10;  51:6;  John  14:6;  Rom.  2:2; 
Matt.  23:27,  28;  I  Sam.  16:7;  James  3:14;  I  John  5:6. 

Rkvidw  Que:stions 

1.  What  are  some  of  the  lessons  to  be  learned  from 
the  parable  of  the  Sower? 

2.  What  parables  show  the  way  in  which  the  King- 
dom of  God  is  to  grow? 

3.  How  can  we  explain  the  existence  of  evil  in  the 
world  ? 

4.  In  what  ways  is  the   Kingdom   of  God  the   most 
valuable  thing  in  the  world? 

5.  \\'hat  lesson  do  you  gain  from  the  parable  of  the 
Seed  Growing  of  Itself? 

6.  How   did   Jesus   come   to   speak   the   parables   re- 
corded in  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  Luke? 

7.  ^  What  fundamental  mistakes  were  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  making  in  their  thinking? 

8.  What  is  the  central  lesson  in  the  parable  of  the 
Lost  Sheep? 

9.  What  truths  are  taught  in  the  parable  of  the  Lost 
Piece  of  Money? 

10.  In  what  way  did  Jesus  show  the  Pharisees  their 
own  faults? 


118    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Study  Topics 

1.  Explain  the  Words,  "  Lifting  Up  His  Soul  Unto 
Falsehood,"  in  Ps.  24:4.  Can  This  Be  Done  Without 
Speaking  a  Lie  with  the  Lips? 

2.  Explain  the  Words,  "  Speaketh  Truth  in  His 
Heart,"  in  Ps.  15:2.     Can  You  Illustrate? 

3.  A  Man  Reads  a  Certain  Book  and  Cannot  See 
Anything  Good  in  It,  Though  It  Is  Really  a  Very  Good 
Book.  Can  You  Suggest  Possible  Reasons  Why  the 
Man  Cannot  See  Anything  Good  in  the  Book? 

4.  Did   Nicodemus   Possess   Intellectual   Integrity? 

5.  Can  You  Name  an  Event  in  the  Life  of  Jesus 
Which  Shows  that  He  Possessed  Intellectual  Integrity? 

Thi:  Law  of  IntklIvKctuai,  Inte;grity 

God  wishes  us  to  speak  the  truth  not  only  by  word  of 
mouth  but  in  our  thoughts  and  in  our  actions.  There- 
fore: 

1.  We  will  try  to  decide  every  question  on  the  basis 
of  facts,  rather  than  on  the  basis  of  our  likes  and  dis- 
likes. 

2.  We  will  try  to  keep  our  minds  and  hearts  free 
from  blinding  prejudices. 

3.  We  will  seek  to  learn  more  and  more  of  the  truth 
as  it  is  revealed  in  the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  POWER  OF  THE  SON  OF  GOD 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  CONQUEROR  OF  DISEASE  AND  DEATH 
Matt.  8:1-13;  9:18-26;  John,  ch.  11 

In  this  chapter  we  are  to  consider  some  of  the  great- 
est of  the  miracles  of  Jesus.  If  we  really  believe  that 
Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God,  it  will  not  seem  strange  to  us 
that  he  possessed  powers  so  much  beyond  that  of  men. 
Jesus  used  his  wonderful  powers  to  cure  suffering,  to 
turn  sadness  into  joy,  and  to  make  plain  the  great 
spiritual  truths  he  had  come  to  teach.  He  refused  to 
use  these  powers,  as  we  have  seen,  to  relieve  his  own 
distresses  or  to  gain  the  support  of  the  populace  by 
working  wonders. 

A  Leper  Healed.  Matt.  8  :l-4.  Leprosy  has  long  been 
a  scourge  to  the  people  of  Palestine.  In  the  days  of 
Jesus  the  lepers  were  everywhere.  They  slept  along  the 
highways  and  cried  out,  "  Unclean !  Unclean !"  at  every 
bend  of  the  road.  There  were  no  hospitals  where  these 
unfortunate  people  could  be  cared  for.  In  spite  of  the 
safeguards  contained  in  the  Mosaic  law,  the  dreadful 
disease  spread  continually  throughout  the  land  and 
menaced  every  life. 

One  day  early  in  his  ministry,  Jesus  met  one  of  these 
lepers.  The  poor  fellow  came  to  Jesus  and  fell  down  be- 
fore him  saying,  "  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make 
me  clean."  When  Jesus  saw  the  leper,  he  was  moved 
with  compassion.  Perhaps  the  ravages  of  the  hideous 
disease  were  all  too  evident  upon  him.  Stretching  out 
his  hand  Jesus  touched  the  leper  and  said,  "  I  will ;  be 
thou  made  clean."  At  once  the  man's  leprosy  departed 
from  him  and  he  became  well  of  his  awful  malady. 

The   Centurion's   Servant.     Matt.  8:5-13.     Soon  after 

119 


120     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

the  healing-  of  the  leper,  Jesus  entered  Capernaum  and  a 
centurion,  or  Roman  captain,  came  to  him  saying, 
*'  Lord,  my  servant  lieth  in  the  house  sick  of  the  palsy, 
grievously  tormented."  Jesus  said  to  him  at  once,  "  I 
will  come  and  heal  him."  How  ready  Jesus  was  to 
serve!  How  wide  were  his  sympathies!  This  man  was 
a  Roman  and  yet  Jesus  made  no  distinction.  He  was  as 
ready  to  heal  the  slave  of  a  Roman  captain  as  he  was  to 
heal  anyone  else.  But  this  ofiBcer  was  a  humble  man 
and  he  said  to  Jesus,  "  Lord,  I  am  not  worthy  that  thou 
shouldest  come  under  my  roof:  but  only  say  the  word, 
and  my  servant  shall  be  healed."  Jesus  was  greatly  de- 
lighted at  the  simple  faith  of  this  Roman  and  he  said  to 
him,  "  Go  thy  way ;  as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done 
unto  thee."    In  that  same  hour  the  servant  was  healed. 

The  Little  Daughter  of  Jairus.  Matt.  9:18-26.  Jesus 
was  soon  to  give  a  more  marvelous  evidence  of  his  power 
than  any  he  had  yet  manifested.  Into  the  crowds 
jostling  about  Jesus  there  came  a  man  whose  heart  was 
heavy  with  anxiety  and  impending  sorrow.  This  man's 
name  was  Jairus  and  he  was  a  ruler  of  the  synagogue, 
probably  of  that  synagogue  in  Capernaum  in  which 
Jesus  sometimes  preached.  This  man  had  a  little 
daughter  twelve  years  old  who  was  lying  at  the  point 
of  death  and  she  was  his  only  child.  This  ruler  of  the 
synagogue  came  to  Jesus  and  fell  down  before  him  plead- 
ing with  him  to  come  and  save  his  little  daughter.  It 
may  be  that  this  officer,  like  others,  had  been  doubting 
Jesus.  If  this  were  the  case,  his  doubts  had  all  been 
driven  away  by  his  desperate  need.  He  knew  that  there 
was  only  one  hope  for  his  child,  and  that  was  in  the 
power  of  Jesus  to  heal. 

Jesus  went  with  Jairus,  but  the  multitudes  were  so 
great  that  they  surrounded  him  and  pressed  against  him 
on  every  side.  A  woman  who  had  been  ill  for  twelve 
years  with  a  distressing  malady  heard  that  Jesus  was 
passing  by  and  she  made  her  way  through  the  crowd. 
She  was  saying  over  and  over  to  herself,  "  If  I  do  but 
touch  his  garment,  I  shall  be  made  whole."  When  she 
was  within  reach  of  Jesus,  she  touched  his  garments  and 
was  healed.     In  some  way  Jesus  knew  what  had  hap- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     121 

pened,  and  he  turned  about  and  asked  who  had  touched 
him.  The  disciples  thoiip^ht  that  this  was  a  stran.G^e  ques- 
tion for  Jesus  to  ask  when  the  crowds  were  all  about 
him  and  pressing  against  him.  Jesus  had  recognized, 
however,  the  touch  of  human  need,  and  at  his  question 
the  woman  came  and,  falling  down  at  Jesus'  feet,  told 
him  what  had  happened.  Jesus  said  to  her  "  Daughter, 
.  .  .  thy  faith  hath  made  thee  whole." 

Just  at  that  moment  a  messenger  from  the  house  of 
Jairus  arrived  and  said  to  him,  '*  Thy  daughter  is  dead  ; 
trouble  not  the  Teacher."  Jesus  overheard  the  words 
of  the  messenger  and  he  said  to  Jairus,  "  Fear  not :  only 
believe." 

When  they  came  to  the  house  of  Jairus,  Jesus  would 
not  permit  anyone  to  enter  wnth  him  excepting  his  three 
disciples,  Peter,  James,  and  John,  and  the  father  and 
mother  of  the  little  girl.  The  friends  and  relatives  were 
weeping  and  making  lamentations.  Hired  mourners 
were  probably  also  present  for  that  was  the  custom  of 
the  times.  Jesus  said  to  these  people,  "  Give  place :  the 
damsel  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth."  "  And  they  laughed 
him  to  scorn,"  knowing  that  she  was  dead. 

Jesus  took  the  hand  of  the  little  girl.  Then  he  called 
to  her  in  his  native  Aramaic  tongue,  the  language  he  had 
learned  on  Mary's  knee ;  "  Talitha  cumi !" ;  which  means 
"  Maiden,  arise."  At  the  touch  and  the  voice  of  Jesus, 
the  child  arose  and  walked.  Jesus  then  told  them  to 
give  her  something  to  eat. 

The  Raising  of  Lazarus.  John  11:1-44.  As  Jesus 
neared  the  end  of  his  ministry  the  mxiracles  he  performed 
became  more  and  more  wonderful.  He  began  by  heal- 
ing the  lame  and  the  palsied.  Then  he  gave  sight  to 
one  who  had  been  born  blind.  Then  he  vanquished 
death  itself  when  he  raised  the  widow's  son  at  Nain  and 
the  little  daughter  of  Jairus  at  Capernaum.  In  these 
cases,  however,  the  persons  restored  to  life  had  been 
dead  for  only  a  short  time.  Lazarus  had  been  dead  four 
days  when  at  the  command  of  Jesus  he  arose  and  came 
forth  from  the  sepulcher. 

As  we  read  this  wonderful  eleventh  chapter  of  John 
we  are  impressed  with  the  grandeur  and  tenderness  of 


122     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

the  Christ.  Possessing  limitless  power,  he  is  yet  humble 
and  compassionate.  We  feel  that  he  restored  Lazarus 
to  life  because  he  loved  the  inmates  of  that  humble  home 
where  he  had  so  often  been  as  a  guest.  At  the  same 
time  we  are  conscious  of  a  wider  purpose  in  the  working 
of  this  wonderful  miracle.  He  was  seeking  to  lead  as 
many  as  possible  to  believe  in  him  and  in  the  eternal 
life  he  had  come  to  bestow.  Nor  was  he  acting  for  the 
spiritual  help  of  that  generation  alone.  He  was  acting 
for  all  the  generations  of  people  that  were  yet  to  be. 

Amazing  Unbelief.  John  11 :45-57.  We  are  not  sur- 
prised to  learn  that  after  the  raising  of  Lazarus,  many 
of  the  Jews  believed  on  him.  The  surprising  thing  is 
found  in  the  fact  that  they  did  not  all  believe  on  him. 
Some  of  the  Jews  who  had  witnessed  the  miracle  went 
and  told  the  Pharisees.  A  hurried  council  was  called. 
Instead  of  being  convinced  of  the  goodness  of  Jesus  and 
his  just  claim  to  being  the  Messiah,  the  Pharisees  were 
roused  to  a  frenzy  of  anger  and  fear  by  the  raising  of 
Lazarus.  Their  fear  and  ill  temper  are  clearly  seen  in 
the  brief  account  which  we  have  of  the  meeting.  From 
that  day  they  were  determined  to  destroy  Jesus  at  any 
cost.  Their  wickedness  is  amazing  and  it  shows  us  to 
what  lengths  jealousy  and  prejudice  are  capable  of  lead- 
ing people.  The  very  climax  of  their  wickedness  is  seen 
in  their  conspiracy  not  only  to  put  Jesus  to  death,  but 
to  take  the  life  of  Lazarus,  also.  They  had  now  thrown 
themselves  completely  into  the  fight  against  Jesus.  If 
Jesus  could  restore  a  man  to  life,  they  believed  they 
could  defeat  him  by  destroying  the  life  he  had  restored. 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook :  Christ  the  Con- 
soler, by  Zimmermann  (IIOIB  Perry,  page  200  Bailey)  ; 
Jairus'  Daughter  Cured,  by  Hofmann  (79  Wilde)  ;  Peace 
P)e  Still,  by  Dore ;  Raising  of  Lazarus,  by  Rubens  (120 
Wilde). 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     123 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE   MASTER   OF  THE   NATURAL  WORLD 
Mark  4:35-41;  Matt.  21:18-22 

Some  years  ago  a  company  of  British  scientists  g-ath- 
ered  on  the  veldt  in  South  Africa.  They  had  come  all 
the  way  from  England  that  they  might  study  a  total 
eclipse  of  the  sun  which  was  to  be  visible  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  African  continent.  They  set  up  their  instru- 
ments and  made  ready  for  their  observations.  When 
everything  was  arranged,  the  leader  of  the  expedition 
took  out  his  watch  and  looking  at  it  said,  "  At  this 
moment  the  eclipse  ought  to  begin,  if  we  have  made  no 
mistake  in  our  calculations."  Even  as  he  spoke  the  disc 
of  the  moon  began  to  obscure  the  face  of  the  sun  and  the 
eclipse  began. 

This  incident  shows  us  the  regularity  and  the  de- 
pendability of  the  laws  of  nature.  The  discovery  of 
laws  which  govern  the  natural  world  has  effected  the 
religious  belief  of  dififerent  people  in  different  ways* 
Some  who  have  come  to  see  the  regularity  and  de- 
pendability of  these  laws  have  said,  "  What  place  is 
there  for  a  God  in  such  a  universe  as  this  where  every- 
thing is  governed  by  fixed  laws."  Other,  and  as  we  be- 
lieve wiser,  people  have  said,  "  There  must  be  a  God 
who  has  made  and  who  governs  the  universe,  for  we 
see  evidences  of  him  in  all  the  laws  of  nature." 

We  are  not  to  think  of  the  miracles  of  Jesus  as  viola- 
tions of  natural  law.  They  were  doubtless  only  in- 
stances in  which  Jesus  used  other  and  higher  laws  than 
any  with  which  we  are  familiar.  God  as  the  maker  of 
natural  laws  does  not  violate  his  own  ordinances,  but 
neither  is  he  a  slave  in  the  universe  he  has  created.  It 
is  a  natural  law  that  any  object  heavier  than  air  shall 
fall  to  the  earth,  but  this  law  is  now  set  aside  in  the 
case  of  the  aeroplane  because  man  has  discovered  and 
learned  to  use  other  laws  which  cause  a  suspension  of 
the  law  of  gravity  under  certain  conditions.  So  we  be- 
lieve that  God,  who  knows  all  things  and  who  has  all 
power,  can  accomplish  that  which  he  wills  and  we  be- 


124     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH   SCHOOL  LESSONS 

lieve  that  Jesus  as  his  Son  was  able  to  show  himself 
master  over  the  forces  of  nature  in  the  ways  described 
in  the  New  Testament. 

Stilling  the  Tempest.  Mark  4:35-41.  After  a  hard 
day  of  teaching-  and  healing,  Jesus  was  crossing  the  Sea 
of  Galilee  with  his  disciples.  When  they  were  in  the 
midst  of  the  sea,  a  great  storm  of  wind  arose  and  the 
waves  beat  into  the  boat,  so  that  it  began  to  fill  and  was 
on  the  point  of  sinking.  The  disciples  were,  for  the 
most  part,  experienced  fishermen  who  had  spent  all 
their  lives  on  the  waters  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  they 
knew  the  peril  all  too  well.  These  sudden  storms  occur 
occasionally  in  the  deep  gorge  of  the  Jordan.  On  a 
hot;  still  day  the  air  becomes  overheated  and  rises  sud- 
denly at  evening  and  the  cold  air  from  the  slopes  of 
Mount  Hermon  rushes  in  with  great  violence,  ac- 
companied by  dashing  rain,  lightning,  or  hail.  It  was 
one  of  these  sudden  storms  that  had  caught  the  boat  in 
which  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  crossing  the  lake. 

When  the  storm  arose,  Jesus  was  in  the  stern  of  the 
boat  asleep  on  a  cushion.  In  their  terror  the  disciples 
aroused  their  leader,  saying  to  him,  "  Teacher,  carest 
thou  not  that  we  perish?"  There  are  few  experiences 
more  terrifying  than  to  be  on  a  sinking  boat  in  a  storm, 
and  we  need  not  be  surprised  to  find  that  the  disciples 
were  panic-stricken.  Jesus  awoke  and  unafraid  looked 
out  upon  the  tossing  waters.  "  Peace,"  he  commanded, 
"be  still."  Instantly  the  winds  and  the  sea  obeyed  him, 
and  there  was  a  great  calm.  "Why  are  ye  fearful?" 
Tesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "have  ye  not  yet  faith?"  As 
the  twelve  disciples  stood  there  in  the  boat  with  Jesus, 
a  great  awe  came  over  them.  They  knew  that  they  were 
in  the  presence  of  one  who  had  manifested  the  power 
and  authority  of  God.  They  said  to  one  another  in 
hushed  tones,  "  Who  then  is  this,  that  even  the  wind  and 
the  sea  obey  him?" 

The  Withered  Fig  Tree.  Matt.  21 :18-22.  During  his 
last  days  in  Jerusalem  Jesus  performed  a  miracle  so  un- 
like most  of  the  others  of  which  we  have  any  account 
that  it  is  well  for  us  to  consider  it  for  a  moment.  Jesus 
and  his  disciples  had  spent  the  night  in   Bethany   and 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  vSCHOOL  LESSONS     125 

were  on  their  way  to  Jerusalem  in  the  morning.  Seeing 
a  fig  tree  in  the  distance,  Jesus  expressed  the  hope  that 
figs  might  be  found  upon  it  for  he  was  hungry.  It  was 
a  common  practice  in  that  day  for  travelers  to  gatner 
figs  and  other  fruits  from  trees  growing  along  the  way- 
side, and  Jesus  and  his  disciples  had  doubtless  often  ob- 
tained food  in  this  way. 

When  they  came  to  the  fig  tree  they  found  that  it 
had  nothing  but  leaves  upon  it.  Jesus  said  to  the  tree, 
"  Let  there  be  no  fruit  from  thee  henceforward  for  ever." 
Either  then  or  soon  afterward  the  fig  tree  withered  and 
died.  How  dififerent  is  the  miracle  from  the  other 
miracles  of  Jesus.  On  other  occasions  he  used  his 
power  to  restore  life  and  health,  to  give  food,  and  to 
save  from  distress  and  loss.  Why  did  he  on  this  oc- 
casion use  his  Dower  to'destrov  life,  even  though  it  was 
only  the  life  of  a  fig  tree?  Those  who  have  studied  the 
matter  deeply  believe  that  this  miracle  was  one  of  the 
acted  parables  of  Jesus.  It  was  a  picture  of  the  doom 
which  was  coming  upon  the  Jewish  nation  because  it 
had  rejected  the  Messiah.  God  had  done  great  things 
for  the  Hebrew  people.  He  had  given  them  a  goodly 
land.  He  had  sent  them  prophets  and  righteous  men. 
He  had  a  right  to  expect  fruit  but  there  was  none  from 
the  nation  as  a  whole.  The  leaders  of  the  Jewish 
Church  and  the  Jewish  nation  were  like  that  barren  tree, 
their  ofifering  was  nothing  but  leaves. 

The:  Leisson  Praykr 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  thank  thee  that  thou  hast 
sent  thy  Son  to  be  our  Teacher  and  Saviour.  We  thank 
thee  that  thou  didst  give  unto  him  power  to  heal  and  save. 
We  pray  that  we  may  believe  on  him  fully  and  trust 
him  always.  Help  us  to  understand  the  beauty  and  per- 
fection of  his  character.  Help  us  to  become  like  him  in 
purity,  helpfulness,  and  devotion  to  duty.  We  pray  that 
his  Church  may  be  made  strong  so  that  the  message  of 
the  gospel  may  be  carried  into  all  the  earth.  Bless  the 
missionaries  who  are  laboring  in  the  pagan  countries  of 
the  world.     Help  them  to  turn  the  people  of  these  lands 


126     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

from  darkness  to  light.  Help  us  to  make  our  own  land 
more  truly  Christian  than  it  is  to-day  so  that  thy  King- 
dom may  really  be  established  on  earth  and  thy  will 
done  in  the  world  as  it  is  done  in  heaven.  We  ask  thee 
in  Jesus'  name.     Amen. 

The:  Lksson  Hymn 

Fierce  was  the  wild  billow, 

Dark  was  the  night; 
Oars  labored  heavily, 

Foam   glimmered  white; 
Trembled  the  mariners, 

Peril  was  nigh: 
Then  said  the  God  of  God, 

"Peace!  It  is  I." 

Ridge  of  the  mountain-wave, 

Lower  thy  crest! 
Wail  of  Euroclydon, 

Be  thou  at  rest! 
Sorrow  can  never  be, 

Darkness  .Tiust  fly, 
Where  saith  the  Light  of  Light, 

"  Peace!  It  is  I." 

Jesus,  Deliverer, 

Come  thou  to  me; 
Soothe  thou  my  voyaging 

Over  life's  sea: 
Thou,  when  the  storm  of  death 

Roars,  sweeping  by, 
Whisper,  O  Truth  of  Truth, 

"  Peace!  It  is  I." 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  210. 
See   "  The   Story  of  the  Hymns  and  Tunes,"  by   Brown   and 
Rutterworth,  page  354. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

RELATION    OF   CHRISTIANITY    TO    PHYSICAL 
HEALTH 

Prov.  4:10-27;  Isa.  35:6-10 

In  the  lessons  which  we  have  been  studying  we  have 
seen  that  Jesus  was  anxious  to  heal  as  many  people  as 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     127 

he  could.  His  concern  for  the  physical  welfare  of  men 
was  second  only  to  his  concern  for  their  spiritual  wel- 
fare. He  said  that  he  had  come  that  people  might  have 
life  and  have  it  abundantly.  In  thus  ministering  to  the 
physical  needs  of  men  Jesus  was  fulfilling  the  hopes  of 
some  of  the  greatest  of  the  prophets.  In  speaking  of 
that  evening  when  at  sunset  the  people  came  crowding 
about  Jesus  to  be  healed  and  to  present  their  loved  ones 
for  healing,  Alatthew  says  that  these  events  were  a  ful- 
fillment of  Isaiah's  statement  that  the  Messiah  should 
take  our  infirmities  and  bear  our  diseases.  In  another 
chapter  Isaiah  had  said  that  in  the  days  of  the  Messiah 
the  eyes  of  the  blind  should  be  opened  and  the  ears  of 
the  deaf  unstopped ;  that  in  that  day  the  lame  man 
should  leap  as  a  hart,  and  the  tongue  of  the  dumb 
should  sing. 

The  Church  which  Jesus  established  in  the  world  is 
carrying  on  the  work  which  he  began  for  giving  health 
to  the  people  of  the  earth.  If  we  wish  to  know  how 
much  the  world  owes  to  Jesus  in  the  matter  of  physical 
health,  we  have  only  to  compare  health  conditions  in  a 
Christian  land  with  the  conditions  in  a  land  like  India 
or  China  where  the  teachings  of  Jesus  have  not  yet  be- 
come known  and  accepted  in  any  large  way.  And  we 
have  only  made  a  beginning  even  in  a  land  like  ours. 
When  our  nation  is  wholly  and  truly  Christian,  we  shall 
be  able  to  banish  many  of  the  diseases  which  still  afflict 
mankind  and  we  shall  become  a  people  strong  in  body 
and  in  mind. 

Near  Chicago  is  a  manufacturing  community  where  a 
great  many  foreign-speaking  people  live.  Some  of  these 
people  are  very  poor  and  they  live  in  crowded  quarters. 
The  water  they  have  to  drink  is  impure  and  there  are 
often  epidemics  of  typhoid  fever  and  other  like  diseases. 
In  this  community  some  Christian  people  have  built 
what  is  called  a  "settlement  house."  The  people  who 
manage  this  house  live  among  the  people  of  the  com- 
munity in  the  midst  of  which  it  is  located.  They  teach 
the  people  better  ways  of  living  than  they  have  known 
in  their  homelands.  They  have  what  are  called  "free 
clinics  "  where  parents  bring  their  little  children  to  have 


128     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

them  examined  by  physicians  who  come  once  or  twice  a 
week  and  give  their  services  free. 

One  day  a  mother  brought  her  little  girl  to  this  settle- 
ment house.  The  child  was  entirely  deaf  and  had  never 
learned  to  talk.  She  was  so  crippled  that  she  had  never 
taken  a  step  in  her  life.  The  physicians  examined  the 
little  girl  and  said  they  thought  that  they  could  help 
her.  They  sent  her  to  a  hospital  where  an  operation 
was  performed  on  her  ears  and  throat  and  she  returned 
to  her  home  able  to  hear  as  well  as  other  children.  Their 
treatment  also  greatly  helped  her  in  her  efforts  to  walk. 
In  a  little  while  she  could  get  about  quite  well  and  had 
learned  to  talk  like  other  children.  This  is  one  way  in 
which  Jesus  is  still  unstopping  the  deaf  ears  and  caus- 
ing the  tongue  of  the  dumb  to  sing. 

Bible:  Vkrsks 

Ps.  67:1,  2;  Prov.  16:24;  I  John  2:14;  Ps.  103:1-3; 
Matt.  10  :8 ;  James  5 :16  ;  Mai.  4 :2  ;  Rev.  22 :2. 

Review  Questions 

1.  In  what  ways  did  Jesus  use  his  miraculous 
powers? 

Z.  Name  some  ways  in  which  Jesus  might  have  used 
his  powers  but  would  not. 

3.  Name  an  instance  in  Avhich  Jesus  used  his  miracu- 
lous powers  to  relieve  human  distress. 

4.  Name  an  instance  in  which  Jesus  used  his  miracu- 
lous powers  to  teach  a  spiritual  truth. 

5.  Is  it  reasonable  to  doubt  the  existence  of  God  be- 
cause the  universe  seems  to  be  governed  by  law? 

6.  What  was  Jesus'  purpose  in  causing  the  barren 
fig  tree  to  wither? 

Study  Topics 

1.  Christian  People  Are  Chiefly  Responsible  for  the 
Passing  of  the  Prohibition  Amendment  to  the  Consti- 
tution. What  Effect  Will  Prohibition  Have  on  the 
Health  of  the  Nation  If  It  Is  Rightly  Enforced? 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     129 

2.  Tell  All  Yoii  Can  of  the  Medical  Work  of  the 
Foreign  Mission  Stations. 

3.  What  Has  the  Pla3^ground  Movement  Done  for 
American  Children? 

4.  Find   Out  About  Missions  for   Lepers. 

5.  Would  Jesus  Wish  a  City  to  Have  Slums  Where 
There  Is  Neither  Light  and  Room  Nor  Cleanliness  for 
the  Children? 

6.  Conditions  in  Our  Community  Which  Are  Favora- 
ble to  Health. 

7.  Conditions  in  Our  Community  Which  Are  Un- 
favorable to  Health. 

8.  Fresh  Air  Outings  for  Mothers  and  Children  of 
the  Great  cities. 

9.  The  Spiritual  Value  of  Clean  Athletics. 

10.  The  Boyhood  of  Jesus  as  a  Perfect  Type  of  De- 
velopment.   Luke  2  :40. 

Committee  Work 

Hospital  Committee.  To  visit  and  report  on  the  work 
done  in  children's  hospitals. 

Hygiene  Committee.  To  secure  a  physician  to  ad- 
dress the  school  on  matters  of  health. 

The  Law  oe  Health 

God  desires  us  to  have  strong  bodies,  keen  minds, 
and  pure  souls.     Therefore: 

1.  We  will  seek  to  form  rigfht  habits  of  eatinp-  and 
drinking  and  will  seek  active  exercise  in  the  open  air 
that  we  may  be  robust  in  health. 

2.  We  will  avoid  doing  any  act  that  will  cause  in- 
jury to  our  bodies,  guilt  of  conscience,  and  loss  of  self- 
respect. 

3.  We  will  seek  good  health  for  others,  as  well  as  for 
ourselves.  To  this  end  we  will  seek  to  have  such  con- 
ditions as  promote  physical  health  in  our  homes,  in  our 
community,  and  in  the  nation. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  PERIOD  OF  GREATEST  POPULARITY 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

FOLLOWED  BY  THE  MULTITUDES 
Mark  6  :7-13,  30-44  ;  10  :1-31 

The  period  immediately  following  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  was  for  Jesus  a  time  of  great  and  growing  popu- 
larity with  the  common  people.  It  is  not  hard  to  dis- 
cover why  the  multitudes  gathered  about  Jesus.  Some 
were  attracted  by  his  teaching.  There  was  a  very  real 
hunger  for  religious  instruction.  Especially  was  this 
the  case  among  the  humble  peasants  of  Galilee.  They 
had  become  spiritually  starved  on  the  teaching  of  the 
rabbis.  They  recognized  at  once  the  difference  between 
the  customary  religious  teaching  of  the  times  and  the 
teaching  of  Jesus.  The  rabbis  taught  traditions;  Jesus 
taught  them  as  one  having  authority. 

They  liked  Jesus  because  he  was  so  friendly  and  ap- 
proachable. He  was  not  at  all  like  the  proud  Pharisees 
who  were  afraid  to  touch  a  common  person  lest  they  be 
made  unclean.  Jesus  went  among  people — visited  them 
in  their  homes,  talked  with  them  on  the  streets,  and  ate 
with  them.  This  friendliness  of  Jesus  attracted  many 
different  types  of  people.  The  despised  publicans  found 
to  their  surprise  that  he  was  their  friend.  The  hated 
Samaritans  found  that  he  was  not  too  proud  to  talk  with 
them  and  heal  their  diseases.  Poor,  outcast,  sinful  men 
and  women  found  that  he  had  for  them  a  great  com- 
passion rather  than  a  spirit  of  contempt,  and  they  took 
new  courage  because  they  could  see  that  he  loved  them. 

Many  came  to  Jesus  to  be  healed,  or  to  have  him  heal 
their  relatives  and  friends.  By  no  means  all  of  these 
people  who  came  seeking  the  help  of  Jesus  were  Jews. 
Some  were  Roman  captains  in  charge  of  the  garrisons 

130 


Copyriglit  by  H  \ruld  (_  oppim;. 

THE  LITTLE  CHILD  SIT  IN  THE  MIDST 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     131 

stationed  here  and  there  throughout  the  country.  Some 
people  joined  the  crowds  which  followed  Jesus  because 
they  were  curious  to  see  and  hear  this  wonderful  Teacher 
concerning  whom  reports  had  spread  all  over  Palestine. 
A  few  of  the  accounts  concerning  the  different  visitors 
who  came  to  see  and  hear  Jesus  as  they  are  given  in  the 
Gospels  will  now  be  considered. 

Parents  Bring  Their  Children  to  Be  Blessed.  Mark 
10  :13-16.  We  are  glad  to  know  that  in  the  midst  of  the 
vast  throngs  gathered  about  Jesus  were  many  little  chil- 
dren. Parents  had  brought  their  children  that  Jesus 
might  lay  his  hands  upon  them  and  bless  them.  Some 
of  the  disciples  evidently  thought  that  Jesus  ought  not 
to  be  bothered  by  having  the  children  brought  to  him 
for  his  blessing.  Therefore  they  rebuked  those  who 
were  bringing  the  children.  When  Jesus  saw  his  dis- 
ciples forbidding  the  people  to  bring  their  children  to 
him,  "  he  was  moved  with  indignation,  and  said  unto 
them,  Suft'er  the  little  children  to  come  unto  me ;  forbid 
them  not :  for  to  such  belongeth  the  kingdom  of  God." 
Then  he  added,  "  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  Whosoever 
shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he 
shall  in  no  wise  enter  therein."  Then  he  took  the  chil- 
dren up  in  his  arms  and  blessed  them. 

Pharisees  Come  to  Find  Fault.  Mark  10  :1-12.  The 
more  popular  Jesus  became  with  the  multitudes  the 
more  he  was  disliked  by  the  Pharisees.  They  were 
jealous  of  him.  They  sought  in  every  way  to  make  the 
people  believe  that  he  was  not  a  wise  and  good  teacher. 
They  planned  all  sorts  of  traps,  hoping  to  lead  Jesus  to 
say  something  which  would  make  the  people  think  he 
was  not  loyal  to  the  law  of  Moses.  They  found  how- 
ever that  they  were  not  able  to  accomplish  their  pur- 
poses. Jesus  understood  their  aims  perfectly.  He  knew 
the  Old  Testament  better  than  the  Pharisees  did  and 
was  able  to  put  them  to  confusion  in  every  conflict. 
These  victories  of  Jesus,  however,  only  added  to  the 
hatred  which  they  felt  for  him. 

A  Young  Man  Comes  to  Jesus  for  Advice.  Mark 
10  :17-31.  One  day  a  young  man  came  to  Jesus  asking 
him  what  he  should  do  to  inherit  eternal  life.    We  know 


132     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

that  this  young  man  was  honest.  His  question  was  not 
a  miserable  trap  like  the  questions  of  the  Pharisees.  He 
was  really  seeking  the  truth.  The  young  man  was  hum- 
ble. He  came  to  Jesus  and  knelt  down  courteously  be- 
fore him  calling  him,  "  Good  Teacher."  The  young  man 
was  a  ruler  and  he  had  great  wealth  but  he  was  not  too 
proud  to  seek  advice  from  the  Carpenter-Teacher  from 
the  despised  city  of  Nazareth. 

The  young  man  had  lived  a  clean  and  upright  life  for 
when  Jesus  spoke  to  him  about  the  Commandments  in 
the  Old  Testament,  he  could  look  straight  into  the  Mas- 
ter's eyes  and  say,  "  Teacher,  all  these  things  have  I  ob- 
served from  my  youth."  We  are  told  that  Jesus,  "  look- 
ing upon  him  loved  him."  So  we  know  that  what  Jesus 
asked  the  young  man  to  do  was  for  the  young  man's 
good.  Jesus  told  him  to  go  and  sell  all  his  possessions 
and  give  away  the  money  to  the  poor.  Then  he  added, 
"  Come,  follow  me."  That  was  the  same  call  that  had 
come  to  Peter  and  Andrew  and  James  and  John.  Jesus 
was  evidently  asking  the  young  man  to  become  a  dis- 
ciple. But  the  young  man's  face  grew  sad  at  the  words 
of  Jesus  and  he  went  away  sorrowful.  We  ought  not  to 
think  of  this  request  of  Jesus  as  unreasonable.  Under 
the  circumstances  it  was  the  only  wise  thing  to  do.  If  the 
young  man  had  tried  to  be  a  disciple  and  keep  his  prop- 
erty, he  would  have  made  a  failure  of  one  or  both  of  his 
undertakings.  What  would  have  become  of  his  wealth 
during  the  persecutions  which  the  followers  of  Jesus 
underwent?  By  going  away  he  showed  that  although 
he  longed  to  have  Jesus  as  his  Teacher  and  Master,  his 
wealth  was  already  a  master  whom  he  was  accustomed 
to  obey  and  whom  he  was  not  ready  to  renounce. 

This  young  man  might  have  been  one  of  the  great 
men  of  the  New  Testament.  He  might  have  become  a 
great  apostle  like  John  or  Paul,  but  he  missed  his  op- 
portunity because  he  loved  his  possessions  more  than 
he  loved  God's  Kingdom. 

Jesus  Sends  Out  His  Disciples  to  Heal  and  Preach. 
Mark  6 :7-13.  About  this  time  in  his  ministry  Jesus 
sent  out  his  disciples   in  six  groups  of  two  men  each. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     133 

He  sent  them  into  the  various  cities  and  towns  to  heal 
the  sick  and  to  preach  to  the  people.  Jesus  seems  to 
have  undertaken  this  campaign  of  preaching  and  heal- 
ing for  several  purposes.  In  the  first  place,  he  could 
reach  many  more  people  in  this  way  than  he  could  by 
keeping  all  his  disciples  about  him.  In  the  second  place 
the  work  of  the  disciples  in  any  community  was  a  prepa- 
ration for  his  own  work.  AVe  are  told  that  he  sent  the 
disciples  into  communities  where  he  was  himself  about 
to  come.  In  the  third  place,  the  experience  of  the  dis- 
ciples would  be  of  very  great  value  to  them.  We  learn 
to  do  by  doing  and  Jesus  was  too  wise  a  teacher  to  over- 
look this  principle.  As  the  disciples  went  about  from 
town  to  town  in  Galilee,  they  were  learning  how  to 
carry  on  the  great  task  which  was  to  fall  to  their  lot 
when  Jesus  should  be  taken  away  from  them. 

A  Much  Needed  Vacation  Abandoned.  Mark  6  :30-33. 
When  the  disciples  had  finished  their  preaching  tour, 
they  came  back  to  Jesus.  They  were  full  of  exultation 
at  their  success.  They  had  healed  the  sick  and  cast 
out  demons.  They  were  conscious  of  a  new  power  for 
the}^  had  really  accomplished  something  for  the  setting 
up  of  the  Kingdom  of  God  in  the  world.  Jesus  seems  to 
have  noted  that  his  disciples  w^ere  tired  by  their  labors, 
for  he  said  to  them,  "  Come  ye  yourselves  apart  into  a 
desert  place,  and  rest  a  while."  The  crowds  were  now 
so  great  about  Jesus  and  his  disciples  that  they  hardly 
had  opportunity  to  eat  or  take  any  rest.  So  the  little 
company  got  into  a  boat  and  started  across  the  Sea  of 
Galilee.  They  were  bound  for  the  hills  that  lay  on  the 
eastern  shore.  Not  many  people  lived  there  and  it  was 
evidently  the  plan  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples  to  spend 
a  few  quiet  days  there  among  the  hills  and  along  the 
shores  of  the  lake. 

But  the  people  saw  the  boat  making  its  way  across  the 
water  and  they  ran  along  the  shore  all  the  way  around 
the  upper  end  of  the  lake.  As  they  went,  more  people 
from  the  villages  joined  them.  Jesus  and  the  disciples, 
having  crossed  the  water  in  a  leisurely  fashion,  drew 
near  to  the  eastern  shore.  There  they  saw  a  great  multi- 
tude of  people  awaiting  them.     We  are  told  that  when 


134     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Jesus  saw  the  multitudes,  "  he  had  compassion  on  them, 
because  they  were  as  sheep  not  having  a  shepherd."  In- 
stead of  taking  a  vacation,  Jesus  spent  the  day  teaching 
the  multitudes. 

The  Feeding  of  the  Five  Thousand.  Mark  6:34-44. 
When  evening  was  come  on,  the  disciples  came  to  Jesus 
reminding  him  that  the  day  was  far  spent  and  that  the 
place  where  they  had  landed  was  an  uninhabited  dis- 
trict. They  suggested  that  the  people  be  sent  away  into 
the  villages  to  buy  themselves  food.  The  tender 
courtesy  and  unselfishness  of  Jesus  is  seen  in  his  reply, 
for  he  told  his  disciples  to  make  ready  to  give  the  multi- 
tudes food.  The  people  had  come  a  long  way  and  Jesus 
would  not  send  them  away  hungry  lest  they  faint  on 
the  homeward  journey. 

So  the  disciples  caused  the  people  to  sit  down  in 
companies  upon  the  hillside  and  Jesus  took  the  few  small 
fishes  and  the  few  cakes  of  bread  which  were  at  hand 
and  with  these  he  fed  the  multitudes.  You  will  remem- 
ber that  Jesus  had  refused  to  use  his  divine  power  to 
feed  himself  when  he  was  almost  ready  to  perish  from 
hunger,  but  he  used  his  power  gladly  to  relieve  the 
hunger  and  distress  of  the  multitudes.  In  his  love  and 
compassion  for  the  multitudes,  Jesus  shows  us  the  sub- 
limity of  his  character.  Some  of  our  greatest  men  and 
women  of  history  have  shown  something  of  this  same 
love  for  the  crowds,  but  none  of  them  in  the  same  way 
and  to  the  same  extent  as  Jesus.  Most  people  are  capa- 
ble of  loving  a  few  individuals.  But  to  look  on  the 
crowding  thousands  and  to  feel  for  them  a  compassion- 
ate affection  is  to  experience  something  of  the  all-includ- 
ing love  of  God. 

NoTKBOOK  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook  work :  Christ  and  the 
Rich  Young  Man,  by  Hofmann  (802  Perry,  Bailey,  page 
254)  ;  Christ  Blessing  Little  Children,  by  Plockhorst 
(110  Wilde). 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     135 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  MULTITUDES  TLAN  TO  MAKE  JESUS  KING 
Mark  6:45-56;  John  6:15-71 

The  miraculous  feeding  of  the  five  thousand  made  a 
profound  impression  throughout  Galilee.  Jesus  had  per- 
formed many  miracles  before  this,  but  they  had  been 
confined,  for  the  most  part,  to  the  healing  of  individuals. 
By  feeding  five  thousand  people  Jesus  had  given  a  di- 
rect demonstration  of  his  power  to  a  vast  number  of 
people.  It  is  probable  that  every  town  and  village  for 
miles  around  was  represented  in  the  crowd  that  partook 
of  the  food  which  Jesus  provided  that  day.  So  we  need 
not  be  surprised  to  know  that  startling  events  resulted 
from  what  Jesus  had  done. 

A  Plot  to  Make  Jesus  King  by  Force.  John  6  :15.  As 
the  people  sat  there  on  the  hillside  by  the  sea  and  ate 
the  food  which  Jesus  had  provided,  they  talked  with  one 
another  about  the  wonderful  power  of  Jesus.  The  con- 
viction spread  rapidly  through  the  crowd  that  Jesus  was 
the  IMessiah.  He  had  provided  them  with  food  just  as 
Moses  had  provided  manna  for  their  ancestors  in  the 
desert  wanderings.  What  a  leader  Jesus  would  make 
for  a  revolution  intended  to  throw  off  the  Roman  do- 
minion and  set  the  Jewish  people  free!  How  easily  he 
could  supply  an  army  and  how  quickly  he  could  vanquish 
the  foe  by  turning  against  them  the  mighty  power  which 
he  had  manifested  on  so  many  occasions !  There  was  a 
party  of  intensely  patriotic  Jews  called  the  Zealots. 
These  Zealots  were  especially  numerous  in  Galilee  and 
Jesus  had  chosen  one  of  them  as  a  disciple.  They  were 
collecting  arms  and  were  ready  to  rise  against  the  Ro- 
mans whenever  an  opportunity  should  present  itself. 
Many  of  these  Zealots  were  probably  present  In  the 
company  of  people  who  had  just  been  fed  by  Jesus. 
Under  their  leadership  the  multitude  determined  to  pro- 
claim Jesus  the  Messianic  king.  They  seem  to  have 
had  some  doubts  as  to  whether  Jesus  would  consent  to 
be  the  kind  of  king  they  wished  him  to  be,  for  we  are 


136     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

told  that  Jesus  perceived  "  that  they  were  about  to  come 
and  take  him  by  force,  to  make  him  king." 

Can  you  imagine  the  situation  in  which  Jesus  now 
found  himself?  He  had  already  been  rejected  by  the 
Jewish  leaders  and  they  were  plotting  to  take  his  life. 
But  his  popularity  with  the  masses  had  grown  steadily 
and  they  were  now  plotting  to  make  him  king  whether 
he  would  consent  to  it  or  not.  So  long  as  Jesus  held  the 
good  will  of  so  great  a  part  of  the  people,  he  was  safe  from' 
his  enemies.  We  are  told  again  and  again  that  these  ene- 
mies desired  to  seize  him,  but  *'  they  feared  the  people." 
It  was  the  old  temptation  of  the  wilderness  reenforced  by 
a  chain  of  almost  compelling  circumstances,  the  tempta- 
tion to  use  worldly  methods  to  set  up  the  Kingdom  of 
heaven.  If  Jesus  allowed  himself  to  be  made  king,  he 
would  be  compelled  to  be  the  kind  of  king  the  people 
were  expecting.  Jesus  doubtless  saw  that  a  refusal  to 
be  made  king  would  cost  him  the  support  of  most  of  the 
multitude,  and  that  without  the  united  support  of  the 
common  people  his  enemies  among  the  Jewish  leaders 
would  ultimately  triumph  in  their  plans  for  his  destruc- 
tion. He  must  make  a  choice  between  a  crown  and  a 
cross. 

Putting  Aside  the  Crown  and  Facing  the  Cross.  Mark 
6 :45,  46.  Jesus  acted  with  promptness  and  determina- 
tion. He  "  constrained  "  his  disciples  to  enter  the  boat 
and  set  sail  for  the  other  side  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  The 
word  used  seems  to  indicate  that  Jesus  compelled  his 
disciples  to  depart.  Possibly  they  were  not  willing  to 
do  so.  Their  ideas  as  to  the  kind  of  kingdom  to  be 
established  did  not,  as  yet,  differ  greatly  from  the  ideas 
of  the  multitude  on  the  same  subject.  They  were  quite 
in  sympathy  with  a  movement  looking  toward  the  proc- 
lamation of  Jesus  as  king. 

Then  Jesus  sent  the  multitude  away.  We  are  not  told 
what  he  said  to  them  that  evening  by  the  sea,  but  he 
sent  them  away  to  their  homes.  Then  he  went  up  into 
a  lonely  part  of  the  mountains  lying  back  of  the  Sea  of 
Galilee  and  there  he  spent  the  hours  of  the  night  in 
prayer.  Another  great  crisis  had  risen  in  his  life  and 
Jesus,  as  his  custom  was,  sought  the  help  and  counsel 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     137 

of  God.  In  that  night  of  prayer  he  again  vanquished 
every  temptation.  He  could  not  become  the  kind  of 
king  the  people  wished  without  making  a  compromise 
with  evil,  but  to  refuse  the  crown  meant  desertion  by 
the  people,  increasing  danger  from  the  Jewish  leaders, 
and  ultimately  the  cross.  Jesus  did  not  waver;  he  put 
aside  the  crown  that  was  tainted  with  evil  and  reso- 
lutely turned  his  face  toward  the  cross. 

Jesus  Walks  Upon  the  Sea.  Mark  6  :47-56  ;  John  6  :16- 
21.  Sudden  and  violent  storms  sometimes  arise  on  the 
Sea  of  Galilee.  The  disciples  were  caught  in  such  a 
storm  while  crossing  the  Sea  of  Galilee  that  night  after 
the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand.  They  labored  at  the 
oars  to  keep  the  bow  of  the  boat  in  the  teeth  of  the 
wind  for  if  the  great  waves  should  strike  the  boat  from 
the  side,  it  would  be  capsized  in  a  moment.  So  as  the 
storm  raged  over  the  lake,  the  disciples  labored  on 
through  the  night  and  Jesus  in  the  same  wild  storm  was 
somewhere  off  among  the  mountains  of  the  northern 
shore  praying  to  God  for  help  and  guidance  in  the  hour 
of  crisis  which  had  come  upon  him. 

Jesus  was  ever  ready  to  use  his  miraculous  powers 
to  save  others  from  danger  and  distress.  He  had  not 
forgotten  his  disciples. 

"  And  seeing  them  distressed  in  rowing,  for  the  wind 
was  contrary  unto  them,  about  the  fourth  watch  of  the 
night  he  cometh  unto  them,  walking  on  the  sea."  *'  Be  of 
good  cheer :  it  is  I ;  be  not  afraid,"  he  called  to  them  and 
when  he  had  entered  the  boat,  the  wind  ceased. 

Jesus  Reproves  the  Multitudes.  John  6:32-59.  The 
very  next  day  the  multitudes  came  together  again.  They 
had  probably  not  yet  abandoned  their  plans  to  make 
Jesus  king.  But  Jesus  knew  that  not  one  person  in  the 
crowds  about  him  was  ready  for  the  kind  of  kingdom  he 
had  come  to  establish.  His  own  disciples  even  were  not 
ready.  Jesus  told  the  multitudes  that  day  some  very 
plain  truths.  He  told  them  that  they  were  seeking  him 
not  because  they  had  seen  the  signs  which  he  did,  but 
because  they  had  eaten  of  the  bread  which  he  had' pro- 
vided them.  "  Work  not  for  the  food  which  perisheth," 
he  said  to  them,  "  but  for  the  food  which  abideth  unto 


138     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

eternal  life,  which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  unto  you." 
In  fact,  the  multitudes  cared  little  for  the  high  standards 
of  life  and  conduct  which  Jesus  wished  them  to  adopt 
and  which  were  necessary  for  all  who  were  to  become 
citizens  of  the  Kingdom  of  God.  They  did  not  care  to 
be  told  about  their  sins  and  their  mistaken  ideas  as 
to  righteousness.  They  wished  Jesus  to  use  his  power  to 
give  them  food  and  to  free  them  from  the  rule  of  the 
Romans. 

Waning  Popularity.  John  6:60-66.  When  the  multi- 
tudes saw  that  Jesus  would  not  give  them  food  con- 
tinually and  would  not  be  the  kind  of  king  they  wished 
him  to  be,  they  began  to  go  away.  The  period  of  great 
popularity  ended  abruptly.  Not  only  the  general  masses 
fell  away,  but  many  who  had  become  professed  follow- 
ers of  Jesus  from  this  time  on  "  walked  no  more  with 
him."  It  was  a  time  of  testing  for  the  followers  of 
Jesus  as  well  as  for  Jesus  himself.  Summer  friends, 
who  forsake  us  as  soon  as  the  first  cloud  appears,  are 
not  worthy  to  be  called  friends,  at  all.  There  were 
many  of  these  "  summer  friends  "  among  the  followers 
of  Jesus  and  these  were  the  people  who  "  went  back, 
and  walked  no  more  with  him  "  as  soon  as  the  fickle 
multitudes  turned  away  from  the  great  Leader  whom 
they  could  not  corrupt. 

"Would  Ye  Also  Go  Away?"  John  6:67-71.  In  a 
little  while  there  were  but  few  people  left  as  professed 
followers  of  Jesus.  There  were  the  twelve  disciples  and 
a  little  group  of  faithful  women  and  a  few  others.  Turn- 
ing one  day  to  the  twelve  disciples,  Jesus  said  to  them, 
"Would  ye  also  go  away?"  It  is  to  Peter's  everlasting 
honor  that  he  answered:  "Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go? 
thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  we  have  be- 
lieved and  know  that  thou  art  the  Holy  One  of  God." 
There  was  one  of  the  disciples  who  did  not  share  in 
these  noble  sentiments  of  Peter.  Judas  Iscariot,  from 
this  time  on,  while  he  was  one  of  the  company  of  the 
disciples,  was  nevertheless  not  a  loyal  follower  of  Jesus. 

Peter  and  the  ten  other  disciples  who  were  true  to 
their  Teacher  when  the  world  was  turning  against  him 
are  worthy  of  our  highest  honor.     They  were  no  "  sum- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     139 

mer  friends "  ready  to  go  away  when  the  clouds  ap- 
peared. They  did  not  care  for  Jesus  simply  because  he 
gave  them  food  and  because  they  believed  he  might  be 
useful  to  them  and  their  nation.  They  appreciated  the 
"  words  of  eternal  life  "  which  he  spoke.  Though  they 
could  not  understand  him,  they  nevertheless  believed 
in  him  and  honored  him  as  "  the  Holy  One  of  God." 


Thk  Lesson  Praykr 

O  God,  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we 
honor  and  love  thee  because  thou  hast  revealed  thyself 
to  us  in  thy  Son.  Help  us  to  appreciate  the  words  of 
eternal  life  which  Jesus  spoke  to  his  followers  in  the 
days  of  his  life  on  earth.  Help  us  to  understand  his 
teaching  and  to  bring  our  lives  into  harmony  with  his 
truth.  We  thank  thee  for  the  heroic  devotion  which 
Jesus  showed  to  righteousness  and  truth.  We  thank 
thee  for  the  faithful  disciples  who  would  not  forsake 
their  Master  when  so  many  were  leaving  him.  Give  us 
that  kind  of  devotion  to  our  friends  and  to  Jesus  who  is 
our  Teacher  and  Friend.  We  ask  these  things  in  the 
name  of  thy  Son.    Amen. 


The:  Le:sson  Hymn 

0  Jesus,  I  have  promised 
To  serve  thee  to  the  end; 

Be  thou  forever  near  me, 
My  Master  and  my  Friend: 

1  shall  not  fear  the  battle 
If  thou  art  by  my  side, 

Nor  w^ander  from  the  pathway 
If  thou  wilt  be  my  Guide. 


0  let  me  feel  thee  near  me, 
The  world  is  ever  near; 

1  see  the  sights  that  dazzle, 
The  tempting  sounds  I  hear: 

My  foes  are  ever  with  me, 
Around  me  and  within; 

But,  Jesus  draw  thou  nearer, 
And  shield  my  soul  from  sin. 


140     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

O  Jesus,  thou  hast  promised 
To  all  that  follow  thee 

That  where  thou  art  in  glory- 
There  shall  thy  servant  be; 

And  Jesus,  I  have  promised 
To  serve  thee  to  the  end; 

O  give  me  grace  to  follow 
My  Master  and  my  Friend. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  388. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

CHRISTIAN  FRIENDSHIP 
John   15:1-15 

In  the  lesson  we  have  just  been  studying  we  have 
seen  that  eleven  of  the  disciples  had  developed  a  true 
friendship  for  Jesus.  The  loyalty  of  these  disciples  is  in 
striking  contrast  to  the  shallow,  fickle,  and  transient 
friendship  which  the  multitudes,  as  a  whole,  had  for 
Jesus.  It  is  evident  that  Jesus  selected  the  twelve  dis- 
ciples with  much  wisdom.  The  friendship  of  Jesus  was 
by  no  means  confined  to  his  twelve  disciples,  for  we 
have  seen  how  it  went  out  to  all  classes  of  people.  In- 
deed he  was  criticized  because  he  was  a  friend  of  publi- 
cans and  sinners.  The  disciples  proved  themselves  more 
worthy  of  the  friendship  of  Jesus  than  many  of  the  other 
people  did.  They  developed  a  love  and  friendship  for 
their  Teacher  which  nothing  could  destroy,  whereas 
many  of  the  others  who  had  been  blessed  by  the  friend- 
ship of  Jesus  developed  no  such  devotion  to  the  Master. 

Jesus  is  our  perfect  pattern  of  friendship.  By  study- 
ing his  life  and  his  teachings  we  can  find  out  what  our 
own  friendship  ought  to  be.  Our  Scripture  lesson  for 
to-day  is  a  part  of  Jesus'  conversation  with  his  disciples 
the  last  night  he  was  with  them.  On  that  evening'  he 
told  the  disciples  that  they  and  he  were  friends  and  he 
explained  the  conditions  under  which  friendship  be- 
tween himself  and  others  could  exist.  Let  us  consider 
some  of  the  facts  about  Christian  friendship  as  they  are 
set  forth  in  the  life  and  teachings  of  Jesus. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     141 

The  Love  Which  Binds  Friend  to  Friend  Is  as  High 
and  Holy  as  Any  Love.  Jesns  said,  ''  Greater  love  hath 
no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his 
friends."  The  friendship  of  Jesus  for  his  disciples  was 
of  that  noble  kind  which  willingly  sacrifices  its  own  life 
for  the  lives  of  others.  On  a  number  of  occasions  Jesus 
showed  how  close  and  sacred  was  the  relationship  ex- 
isting between  himself  and  his  disciples.  One  day  he 
was  teaching  in  the  midst  of  a  great  throng  of  people 
and  his  mother  and  his  brothers  came  to  speak  w4th  him. 
The  crowd  was  so  dense  that  they  could  not  reach  the 
place  where  Jesus  was  standing,  but  they  sent  word 
from  one  person  to  another  so  that  at  last  some  one 
standing  near  Jesus  said  to  him,  "  Behold,  thy  mother 
and  thy  brethren  without  seek  for  thee."  Jesus  said  to 
the  people,  "Who  is  my  mother  and  my  brethren?" 
Then  looking  upon  his  disciples  he  said,  "  Behold,  my 
mother  and  my  brethren !  For  whosoever  shall  do  the 
will  of  God,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and 
mother."  Mark  3  :31-35.  In  saying  this  Jesus  did  not 
mean  to  imply  that  the  relationships  of  the  family  were 
not  high  and  holy.  He  intended  to  teach  that  the  friend- 
ship existing  between  him  and  his  followers  was  a  high 
and  holy  relationship,  even  equaling  that  of  the  home 
circle. 

The  Friendship  of  Jesus  Was  Wide.  It  went  out  to 
publicans  and  sinners  and  included  even  his  enemies. 
It  is  a  poor  kind  of  friendship  that  will  not  "  go  around  " 
when  the  circle  of  friendship  is  large.  Sometimes  a  bov 
or  girl  seems  to  think  that  if  a  new  and  intimate  friend 
is  found,  some  other  friend  must  be  dropped,  or  given 
a  less  conspicuous  place  in  the  list  of  friends.  Such  a 
feeling  shows  a  smallness  of  spirit  which  we  ought  to 
try  to  overcome.^  True  friendship  is  a  wonderful  thing; 
the  more  you  give  it  out  to  others  and  the  wider  vou 
extend  it,  the  greater  your  capacity  for  true  friends'hip 
grows. 

The  Friendship  of  Jesus  Was  Intimate.  Intimate 
friendships  are  possible  only  where  there  is  mutual  con- 
fidence between  friends.  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  All 
things  that  I  heard  from  my  Father  I  have  made  known 


142     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

unto  you."  If  I  have  a  friend  with  whom  I  cannot  trust 
my  personal  plans  and  my  inmost  purposes,  the  friend- 
ship between  us  is  not  all  that  it  ought  to  be. 

B1BI.1:  Ve:rsks 

Luke   12:4;    Prov.    17:17;   Isa.   41:8-10;   Matt.   26:50; 
Luke  11:5-13;  16:9;  John  3:29;  11:11. 

Rtvitw  Que:stions 

1.  Name    some   of   the   different    motives   which    led 
people  to  come  to  the  places  where  Jesus  was  teaching. 

2.  Why  did  Jesus  ask  the  rich  young  ruler  to  sell  his 
property  and  give  the  proceeds  to  the  poor? 

3.  Why    did    Jesus    send    out    his    disciples    into    the 
cities  and  towns  of  Galilee? 

4.  Why  did  Jesus  give  up  the  plans  for  a  vacation  for 
himself  and  his  disciples? 

5.  Tell  the  story  of  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand. 

6.  What  were  the  causes  of  the  great  popularity  of 
Jesus  with  the  common  people? 

7.  What  kind  of  king  did  the  multitudes  wish  Jesus 
to  be? 

8.  Why  could  Jesus  not  be  such  a  king  as  the  people 
desired  ? 

9.  What  did  it  mean  for  Jesus  to  refuse  to  be  made 
king? 

10.  How  did  the  multitudes  show  that  they  had  no 
real  friendship  for  Jesus? 

Study  Topics 

1.  The  Friendship  of  David  and  Jonathan.     I   Sam. 
18:1;  II  Sam.  1:26. 

2.  The    Friendships    of    Paul.      Rom.,    ch.    16;    Acts 
20:17-38. 

3.  An  Apostle's  Letter  to  a  Lady  Friend.     II  John. 

4.  An  Apostle's  Letter  to  a  Gentleman  Friend.     Ill 
John. 

5.  How  We  Can  Use  Our  Friendships  for  the  Good 
of  Christ's  Kingdom. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     143 

Tiii^  Law  of  Christian  Friendship 

A  bond  of  friendship  binds  the  followers  of  Jesus  to 
their  Master  and  to  one  another.  Christian  friendship 
likewise  makes  its  possesor  friendly  and  helpful  to  all. 
Therefore : 

1.  We  will  seek  to  be  loyal  and  true  to  all  our  friends. 

2.  We  will  try  to  be  worthy  of  the  friendship  of 
Jesus  and  true  to  him  always. 

3.  We  will  try  to  be  friendly  and  helpful  to  all  in  so 
far  as  their  attitude  toward  us  will  permit. 


CHAPTER  XII 

WITH  HIS  DISCIPLES  IN  THE  LAND  OF  THE 
GENTILES 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  JOURNEY  THROUGH  A  REGION  OF  SCENIC 
GRANDEUR 

Mark  7:24-37 

Not  long  after  the  feeding  of  the  five  thousand,  Jesus 
led  his  disciples  on  a  journe}^  which  extended  far  be- 
yond the  bounds  of  Jewish  territory.  The  region 
through  which  they  traveled  on  this  journey  is  wonder- 
fully picturesque.  The  New  Testament  writers  give  us 
only  a  brief  account  of  this  trip  into  Gentile  territory, 
but  by  studying  the  ancient  road  systems  of  Palestine 
we  are  able  to  determine  with  practical  certainty  the 
route  followed  by  the  little  band  which  at  that  time 
made  up  the  school  of  Jesus. 

Probably  none  of  the  disciples  had  ever  before  been 
outside  the  boundaries  of  their  native  land.  Neither 
had  their  Teacher,  for  that  matter,  except  when  he  was 
carried  as  an  infant  into  Egypt  to  escape  the  jealous 
rage  of  wicked  King  Herod.  It  must  have  been  a  won- 
derful experience  for  both  Jesus  and  his  disciples  to  go 
along  the  Great  Sea  and  across  lofty  mountain  ranges 
and  among  strange  peoples. 

Jesus  and  his  disciples  traveled  on  foot  and  they  slept 
at  night  under  the  open  sky.  They  ate  their  meals 
seated  on  the  grass  beneath  the  trees,  or  on  some  rocky 
ledge  beside  a  rushing  mountain  stream.  The  total  dis- 
tance traveled  by  Jesus  and  his  disciples  on  this  trip 
into  Gentile  territory  must  have  been  over  two  hundred 
miles  and  it  probably  took  them  several  weeks  to  com- 
plete the  journey. 

144 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     145 


146     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Withdrawing  from  Jewish  Territory.  The  dangers' 
surrounding  Jesus  in  his  native  land  were  becoming 
more  and  more  menacing.  The  Jewish  leaders  had  made 
up  their  minds  to  get  rid  of  him  at  any  cost.  The  multi- 
tudes had  grown  indifferent  to  him  after  his  refusal  to 
be  made  king.  The  Jewish  leaders  had  hesitated  to 
seize  Jesus  because  "  they  feared  the  multitude,"  but  of 
late  the  crowds  which  followed  Jesus  had  become  noticea- 
bly less  and  the  Jewish  leaders  had  consequently  less  to 
fear,  should  they  undertake  to  destroy  the  Nazarene 
Teacher. 

Yet  we  know  that  in  leaving  Jewish  territory  Jesus 
was  not  fleeing  from  personal  danger.  His  enemies  may 
have  so  interpreted  his  actions,  but  they  must  have  seen 
their  mistake  when  a  little  later  Jesus  came  back  to 
Galilee  and  then  went  boldly  up  to  Jerusalem.  From 
this  time  on  Jesus  was  moving  in  the  midst  of  constant 
perils,  but  we  find  no  suggestion  of  fear  in  any  of  his 
acts  or  words.  Many  years  afterward  one  of  the  dis- 
ciples wrote,  "  There  is  no  fear  in  love :  but  perfect  love 
casteth  out  fear."  I  John  4:18.  The  truth  of  this  state- 
ment may  have  been  suggested  by  memories  of  the 
matchless  Teacher  and  Friend  who  once  walked  so 
courageously  amidst  the  perils  and  plottings  of  cruel 
and  jealous  enemies. 

Jesus  was  seeking  rest  and  recreation  for  his  disciples 
and  for  himself.  You  will  remember  that  not  very  long 
before  this  journey  Jesus  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Come  ye 
.'. .  apart  into  a  desert  place,  and  rest  a  while. '*  But 
the  plans  of  Jesus  for  a  rest  were  defeated  on  that  oc- 
casion because  the  multitudes  saw  them  going  across 
the  lake  and  followed  along  the  shore,  so  that  when 
Jesus  landed  with  his  disciples  the  crowds  were  there 
awaiting  him.  Instead  of  resting  Jesps  turned  again  to 
his  task  of  healing  and  teaching. 

But  now  Jesus  was  going  into  foreign  territory  where 
he  would  not  be  so  well  known  and  where  there  would 
be  opportunity  for  that  rest  and  recuperation  of  which 
both  he  and  his  disciples  must  have  been  sorely  in  need. 
Jesus  knew  the  restoring  power  of  fellowship  with  na- 
ture and  with  the  Creator  throug-h  his  works.     It  Is  re- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     147 

markable  how  many  times  in  the  gospel  stories  we  find 
him  by  the  shores  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee,  out  alone  among 
the  hills,  on  the  mountains,  and  along  the  highways.  He 
was  a  man  of  the  open  air  and  he  and  his  disciples 
spent  much  of  their  time  out  of  doors. 

Yet  this  was  probably  much  more  than  a  mere  vaca- 
tion jaunt  for  Jesus  and  his  little  company.  The  primary 
object  of  the  great  Teacher  in  planning  this  journey 
was  probably  the  gaining  of  an  opportunity  to  teach 
his  disciples  under  circumstances  where  they  would 
not  be  distracted  by  the  constant  presence  of  the  crowds. 
There  are  religious  truths  so  deep  that  it  is  practically 
impossible  to  impart  them  unless  circumstances  are 
favorable.  So  we  may  believe  that  as  Jesus  walked  with 
his  disciples  down  the  road  which  winds  from  the  high- 
lands to  the  Great  Sea  he  talked  to  them  of  the  King- 
dom he  had  come  to  establish  and  of  what  kind  of  king- 
dom it  must  be  if  it  was  to  go  on  forever. 

The  Borders  of  Tyre  and  Sidon.  Mark  7:24.  The 
road  which  Jesus  followed  as  he  left  the  land  of  the  Jews, 
winds  down  from  the  highlands  of  northern  Galilee  to 
the  plains  of  Phoenicia.  As  they  descended,  the  Medi- 
terranean Sea,  or  "  The  Great  Sea  "  as  they  called  it  in 
those  times,  lay  spread  out  before  them.  Many  white- 
sailed  ships  of  Tyre  were  scattered  over  the  blue  sea. 
Some  of  these  were  near  to  shore  sailing  south  toward 
the  Egyptian  seaports  of  the  Nile  delta.  Others  were 
far  out  to  sea,  only  their  topmost  sails  showing  above 
the  horizon.  These  westward-sailing  ships  were  out- 
ward bound  for  the  ports  of  Greece,  Italy,  and  Spain. 

Tyre  and  Sidon  were  the  two  great  centers  of  ocean 
commerce  in  the  days  of  Jesus.  The  Phoenicians  had  been 
famous  sailors  for  hundreds  of  years  and  they  still  car- 
ried in  their  ships  the  commerce  of  the  world.  These 
two  cities  were  likewise  the  termini  of  numerous  cara- 
van routes  which  wound  their  way  thither  over  moun- 
tains and  valleys  and  deserts  from  the  far-awav  lands 
along  the  Euphrates,  the  Tigris,  and  the  Indus.  We  do 
not  know  whether  Jesus  actually  entered  these  cities  or 
whether  he  only  came  into  the  neighborhood  of  them. 
In  any  case  he  and  his  disciples  must  have  seen  many 


148    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

new  and  interesting  sights  in  this  part  of  their  journey 
and  they  probably  met  many  people  from  distant  lands. 

Near  Tyre  a  large  river,  the  Litany,  pours  its  waters 
into  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  Crossing  this  river,  Jesus 
led  his  disciples  northward  along  the  coast  until  they 
were  in  the  neighborhood  of  Sidon,  or  perhaps  they  en- 
tered that  city.  From  Sidon  an  ancient  road  leads  east- 
ward across  the  Lebanon  and  Anti-Lebanon  Mountains 
to  the  region  about  Damascus.  This  we  may  be  sure 
was  the  route  Jesus  followed. 

Over  the  Lebanon  Mountains  to  Damascus.  Where 
the  road  from  Sidon  to  Damascus  crosses  the  main  ridge 
of  the  Lebanon  Mountains  it  is  six  thousand  feet  above 
the  sea.  Such  a  spot  must  have  been  deeply  impressive 
to  Jesus  and  his  disciples.  Westward  they  looked  out 
over  a  vast  expanse  of  the  Mediterranean.  Southward 
they  looked  down  over  snowcapped  mountains  to  where 
the  hills  and  valleys  of  Galilee,  Samaria,  and  Judea  lay 
spread  out  beneath  them.  The  Litany  cuts  its  way 
through  the  mountains  through  a  tremendous  gorge.  At 
one  point  this  gorge  is  spanned  by  a  natural  bridge  of 
rock.  The  road  which  Jesus  and  his  disciples  most 
probably  followed  crosses  the  Litany  by  means  of  this 
natural  bridge. 

This  whole  mountain  region  is  one  of  abundant 
grassy  meadows  and  evergreen  forests.  Here  may  still 
be  seen  some  of  the  cedars  of  Lebanon.  These  wonder- 
ful trees  are  often  mentioned  in  the  Old  Testament. 
They  furnished  timber  for  the  building  of  Solomon's 
Temple.  They  made  a  profound  impression  on  the  He- 
brew people.  Prophets  and  poets  saw  in  them  symbols 
of  the  greatness  and  majesty  of  God,  and  they  were 
called  "  the  trees  of  Jehovah."  It  is  good  to  know  that 
the  eyes  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples  rested  on  these  grand 
trees.  Perhaps  the  sight  of  them  helped  the  Galilaean 
fishermen  to  understand  better  than  they  had  under- 
stood before  the  greatness  and  majesty  of  their  Teacher 
and  to  be  true  to  him  in  the  times  of  severe  testing 
which  were  soon  to  come  to  them. 

^  The  Region  of  Damascus.     Damascus  was  an  ancient 
city,  ev.en  in  the  days  of  Jesus.     Indeed,  it  is  sometimes 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     149 

said  to  be  the  oldest  city  in  the  world.  Wonderful 
springs  bursting  out  from  the  foothills  of  Mount 
Hermon  give  rise  to  rivers  v^hich  run  dov^n  into  the 
plain  and  transform  the  desert  into  a  paradise,  in  the 
midst  of  which  stands  the  city  of  Damascus.  Jesus  and 
his  disciples  came  into  the  neighborhood  of  this  ancient 
city.  Possibly  they  entered  within  its  walls.  Then  they 
turned  south  and,  skirting  a  vast  region  of  volcanic  rock, 
they  are  thought  to  have  reached  a  town  called  Kanatha 
some  thirty  miles  east  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 

The  Borders  of  Decapolis.  Mark  7:31.  Journeying 
westward  from  the  neighborhood  of  Kanatha,  Jesus  and 
his  disciples  passed  through  a  region  called,  in  that  day, 
the  Decapolis.  The  name  means  the  ten  cities  and  it 
was  given  to  the  region  because  it  contained  ten  Greek 
cities  which  in  the  times  of  Jesus  had  formed  a  league. 
In  this  region  Jesus  and  his  disciples  must  have  come 
into  contact  with  Greek  life  and  civilization  in  a  way 
impossible  in  Galilee,  or  Judea.  Here  were  Greek  cities 
with  their  splendid  marble  temples,  their  theaters,  and 
their  public  baths. 

Having  journeyed  through  Decapolis,  Jesus  and  his 
disciples  came  again  to  the  eastern,  or  northeastern, 
shore  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  and  were  once  more  amid 
familiar  scenes.  Many  Jews  lived  in  the  country  im- 
mediately east  of  the  lake,  and  the  multitudes  again  be- 
gan to  gather.  Jesus  had  evidently  accomplished  his 
plans  on  the  northern  journey.  He  had  found  oppor- 
tunity for  the  uninterrupted  teaching  of  the  disciples. 
Now  he  v^as  ready  to  take  up  again  his  task  of  healing 
the  sick  and  teaching  the  multitudes. 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  Csesarea  Philippi 
and  View  of  Mount  Hermon  (219  Wilde)  ;  Light  of  the 
World,  by  Hunt  (3235  Perry,  page  181,  Bailey). 


150     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

SOME  INCIDENTS  OF  THE  NORTHERN  JOURNEY 
Matt.  15  :21  to  16  :12  ;  Mark  8  :22-26 

Although  Jesus  had  left  Jewish  territory  in  order 
that  he  might  have  an  opportunity  to  teach  his  disciples 
in  retirement  for  a  season,  he  was  too  well  known  to 
escape  entirely  from  the  crowds  even  in  the  lands  of  the 
Gentiles.  The  New  Testament  writers  tell  us  that  al- 
though Jesus  wished  to  keep  his  presence  within  the 
countries  he  visited  a  secret,  nevertheless,  "  he  could  not 
be  hid.''  Consequently  the  northern  journey  was  not 
without  its  ministry  of  healing  and  public  teaching. 
This  ministry  of  Jesus  to  the  crowds  when  on  his 
journey  with  his  disciples  is  especially  interesting  to  us 
because  of  the  fact  that  those  he  helped  during  this  time 
were  for  the  most  part  foreigners,  or  Gentiles,  as  they 
were  called  by  the  Jews  of  that  time. 

We  have  studied  several  incidents  which  showed  us 
Jesus'  attitude  toward  people  who  were  not  of  the  Jew- 
ish race.  We  have  seen  how  he  talked  with  a  Samaritan 
woman  and  lived  for  a  while  in  a  Samaritan  village, 
both  of  these  acts  being  unprecedented  for  a  Jewish 
rabbi.  We  have  seen  how  kindly  he  responded  to  an  ap- 
peal from  a  Roman  captain  whose  servant  was  sick.  But 
on  this  northern  journey  Jesus  for  the  first  time  came 
into  contact  with  a  population  distinctly  foreign  and  his 
actions  have  therefore  a  special  significance  for  us. 

The  Syrophoenician  Woman.  Matt.  15:21-28.  Up  to 
this  time  Jesus  had  wisely  confined  his  efforts  very 
largely  to  his  own  country  and  to  his  own  people.  Had 
he  attempted  to  travel  widely  among  Gentile  peoples 
and  to  teach  them  the  fundamental  religious  truths 
necessary  in  the  setting  up  of  his  Kingdom,  it  is  certain 
that  his  efl^orts  would  have  been  to  a  large  extent  wasted. 
The  Hebrew  people  had  been  undergoing  a  process  of 
preparation  for  hundreds  of  years  that  they  might  be 
ready  for  the  coming  of  the  world's  Saviour.  As  a  whole 
they  were  not  ready  for  the  Messiah,  but  there  were  a 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     151 

few  who  were  capable  of  responding  to  him.  On  these 
few  Jesus  was  depending  for  the  success  of  his  mission. 
To  have  turned  away  from  them  and  to  have  entered 
upon  a  campaign  to  reach  Gentile  peoples  would  have 
meant  defeat;  and  Jesus  knew  this.  These  facts  will 
help  us  to  understand  why  Jesus  was  not  willing  to 
make  his  northern  journey  a  time  devoted  wholly  to 
healing  and  teaching  among  the  people  belonging  to  the 
regions  through  which  he  passed.  Jesus  knew  that, 
Avhile  his  mission  was  to  all  the  world,  he  must  reach 
the  world  through  the  few  faithful  ones  of  his  own  na- 
tion who  had  become  his  true  disciples. 

Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  evidently  hardly  outside 
of  the  territory  of  the  Jews  when  an  incident  occurred 
which  shows  us  the  attitude  of  Jesus  in  the  matter  we 
have  been  considering.  A  Phoenician  woman  came  to 
him,  beseeching  him  to  heal  her  daughter  who  was  af- 
flicted with  that  strange  malady  which  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment is  called  demon  possession.  The  woman  is  called  a 
Syrophoenician  because  she  belonged  to  that  branch  of  the 
Phoenician  race  which  lived  in  Syria  rather  than  to  that 
branch  which  had  colonized  northern   Africa. 

At  first  Jesus  seemed  to  be  loath  to  grant  the  woman's 
request.  She  persisted  and  followed  him  and  his  dis- 
ciples, calling  out  for  help  that  her  daughter  might  be 
healed.  The  disciples  advised  their  Master  to  send  the 
woman  away  that  they  might  be  rid  of  her  entreaties. 
Perhaps  the  great  Teacher  was  helping  the  woman's 
faith  to  grow  strong.  Faith,  like  other  activities  of  the 
soul,  grows  strong  with  exercise ;  so,  with  each  seeming 
refusal,  the  woman's  faith  grew  stronger  because  it 
would  not  be  overcast  by  any  doubts  as  to  the  power 
and  goodness  of  the  Christ.  Perhaps  Jesus  wished  his 
disciples  to  learn  a  lesson  from  this  faith  of  a  Gentile 
woman.  The  Jews  had  just  given  an  exhibition  on  a 
large  scale  of  their  lack  of  faith  in  Jesus,  but  here  was  a 
woman  of  Gentile  blood  who  possessed  a  faith  which 
could  not  be  destroyed.  So  Jesus  told  the  woman  that 
his  mission  was  first  to  his  own  people.  This  the  woman 
was  ready  to  grant,  but  she  pleaded  that  some  small 
part  of  the  blessings  he  had  brought  might  be  bestowed 


152    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

upon  her.  And  so  Jesus  rewarded  the  humble,  true,  and 
persistent  faith  of  the  woman  by  healing  her  daughter. 

Many  Miracles  of  Healing  Near  the  Sea  of  Galilee. 
Matt.  15  :29-31.  As  Jesus  and  his  disciples  moved  west- 
ward through  Decapolis,  they  came  into  regions  where 
Jewish  people  were  more  and  more  abundant.  The 
people  of  the  region  were,  for  the  most  part,  fishermen 
and  farmers.  Their  simple  faith  in  Jesus  had  not  been 
tarnished  to  any  great  extent  by  contact  with  the  fault- 
finding Jewish  leaders  who  had  so  greatly  hindered  the 
work  of  Jesus  in  Judea  and  Galilee.  So  Jesus  again 
threw  himself  into  the  hard  labor  of  teaching  and  heal- 
ing. After  their  little  season  of  rest  and  recreation  in 
the  mountains  of  the  north  and  along  the  Mediterranean 
coast,  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  now  ready  to  take 
up  with  renewed  effort  the  tasks  which  they  had  laid 
down  for  a  little  while. 

The  Feeding  of  the  Four  Thousand.  Matt.  15  :32-39. 
Day  by  day  the  multitudes  grew  until  there  were  thou- 
sands of  people  about  Jesus  and  his  disciples  most  of 
the  time.  On  one  occasion  a  crowd  of  some  four  thou- 
sand people  had  been  with  Jesus  continually  for  three 
days.  The  food  which  the  people  had  brought  with 
them  from  their  homes  was  now  exhausted.  Jesus 
knowing  the  situation  called  his  disciples  and  told  them 
that  he  had  compassion  on  the  multitudes  because  they 
were  hungry  and  had  nothing  to  eat.  He  told  them  that 
he  feared  that  if  he  should  send  the  people  away  hungry 
some  of  them  might  faint  by  the  way,  for  many  had 
come  from  far.  The  disciples  began  to  explain  to  their 
Master  how  impossible  it  was  for  them  to  feed  such  a 
multitude  of  people,  but  Jesus  said  to  them,  "  How 
many  loaves  have  ye?"  They  had  only  seven  loaves 
and  a  few  small  fish,  but  with  these  Jesus  again  by  his 
divine  power  fed  the  multitudes,  just  as  he  had  done  on 
a  previous  occasion. 

The  Critics  Seek  a  Sign  from  Heaven.  Matt.  16 :1-12. 
It  was  not  long  before  the  Sadducees  and  Pharisees 
heard  that  Jesus  had  returned,  and  that  many  people 
were  again  gathering  about  him  on  the  eastern  shores  of 
the  Sea  of  Galilee.     They  were  determined  that  Jesus 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     153 

should  be  discredited  everywhere  and  that  the  people 
should  be  turned  away  from  him,  so  they  came  long  dis- 
tances, in  many  cases  from  Jerusalem,  to  find  fault  with 
Jesus  and  try  to  persuade  the  multitudes  that  he  was 
not  a  good  man.  The  Jews  believed  that  when  the  Mes- 
siah came  he  would  show  what  they  called  "  a  sign  from 
heaven  " ;  that  is,  that  he  would  perform  certain  miracu- 
lous acts  which  would  be  his  credentials  as  the  Messiah. 
So  these  Pharisees  and  Sadducees  who  sought  Jesus  on 
the  east  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee  came  asking  him  to  show 
signs  from  heaven.  They  hoped  Jesus  would  undertake 
to  do  some  wonderful  thing  which  they  should  suggest. 
They  believed  that  if  he  should  attempt  such  an  act  and 
fail,  the  people  would  regard  him  as  an  impostor  and 
forsake  him  ;  then  they  could  seize  him  and  do  with  him 
as  they  wished. 

Jesus  said  to  these  spiritually  blind  critics :  "  When  it 
is  evening,  ye  say.  It  will  be  fair  weather :  for  the  heaven 
is  red.  And  in  the  morning,  It  will  be  foul  weather  to- 
day: for  the  heaven  is  red  and  lowering.  Ye  know  how 
to  discern  the  face  of  the  heaven ;  but  ye  cannot  discern 
the  signs  of  the  times."  In  effect,  Jesus  told  them  that 
there  were  signs  enough.  The  trouble  was  with  them- 
selves, not  with  the  signs.  They  could  read  in  the  even- 
ing or  the  morning  sky  certain  signs  which  enabled 
them  to  predict  the  nature  of  the  weather  for  the  day  or 
two  just  ahead,  but  they  had  no  such  vision  for  spiritual 
things  as  they  had  for  these  temporal  things.  Indeed, 
these  critics  were  so  blinded  by  jealousy  and  prejudice 
that  no  sign  however  startling  could  have  changed  their 
opinions,  in  the  least.  They  would  have  found  some 
way  to  explain  away  the  sign.  They  would  have  said 
that  Jesus  wrought  the  sign  by  the  aid  of  the  prince  of 
the  demons  as  they  did  on  other  occasions. 

The:  Lesson  Prayer 

Our  God  and  Father,  we  ask  thee  so  to  open  our 
spiritual  eyes  that  we  may  see  and  understand  the  les- 
sons of  truth  contained  in  the  words  and  in  the  life  of 
Jesus    Christ,   thy    Son.      Teach    us   to    love    the   truth, 


154    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

virtue,  and  spiritual  courage  which  he  so  fully  mani- 
fested in  his  life  and  ministry.  May  we  seek  and  find 
through  him  those  qualities  of  character  which  made 
him  great  and  good.  Teach  us  also  the  smallness  and 
meanness  of  selfishness  and  jealousy.  Enable  us  to  put 
out  of  our  lives  and  actions  all  that  is  low  and  unworthy. 
We  thank  thee  for  the  example  of  Jesus  in  his  dealings 
with  foreign  people.  Make  us,  like  him,  free  from  all 
race  hatreds  and  race  prejudice.  Give  to  us  a  spirit  of 
true  Christian  democracy  which  recognizes  all  classes 
of  people  as  children  with  us  in  the  great  family  of  God. 
We  ask  in  the  name  of  thy  Son.    Amen. 

Tut  Lesson  Hymn 

The  light  of  God  is  falling 

Upon  life's  common  way; 
The    Master's   voice   is    calling, 
"  Come,  walk  with  me  to-day:" 
No  duty  can  seem  lowly 

To  him  who  lives  with  thee, 
And  all  of  life  grows  holy, 

O  Christ  of  Galilee. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  354. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  STRANGERS  WITHIN   OUR  GATES 
Rom.  1:14-17;  Col.  3:9-11 

Paul  was  once  one  of  the  most  narrow  of  men.  He 
was  trained  in  the  ideas  of  the  Pharisees  and  taught  to 
despise  as  worthless  trash  all  people  of  the  Gentile 
world.  He  even  regarded  those  Jews  who  did  not  know 
all  about  the  interpretations  of  the  rabbis  as  being  ac- 
cursed and  worthless.  From  this  exceedingly  narrow 
view  of  his  relationships  to  his  fellow  men  he  became  a 
man  of  wonderfully  wide  sympathies.  He  became  the 
friend  and  servant  of  all  mankind  and  lived  for  a  uni- 
versal brotherhood.  This  new  man  in  Christ  Jesus 
which  Paul  had  become  speaks  to  us  in  the  splendid 
passages  from  his  pen  which  we  have  chosen  for  our 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     155 

Scripture  lesson.  He  felt  himself  in  debt  to  all  mankind 
whatever  their  race  or  color  or  nationality  might  be. 
He  realized  that  in  the  great  all-including  love  of  the 
Father  Creator  of  the  race,  and  in  the  love  of  his  Son 
Jesus,  the  Saviour  of  all  mankind,  there  could  be  no 
separation  of  humanity  into  Greek  and  Jev^,  circum- 
cision and  uncircumcision,  barbarian  and  Scythian, 
bondmen  and  freemen,  but  that  all  were  of  one  family 
and  one  brotherhood  under  the  fatherhood  of  God.  He 
realized  that  in  his  own  spirit  a  change  was  going  on, 
whereby  he  was  being  renewed  after  the  image  of  the 
Creator  and  that  he  was  slowly  coming  to  look  upon 
humanity  with  the  eyes  of  God. 

This  thought  has  a  special  message  for  all  who  call 
themselves  American  Christians.  Our  country  is  dedi- 
cated to  the  proposition  that  "  all  men  are  created  free 
and  equal."  The  Christian  religion  demands  a  recogni- 
tion of  this  fundamental  equality  and  requires  us  to  live 
in  harmony  with  a  far-reaching  and  universal  law  of 
democracy.  We  have  many  opportunities  to  show 
whether  we  are  true  to  these  laws  of  our  nation  and  our 
religion.  We  have  many  strangers  within  our  gates 
who  have  come  to  us  from  other  lands.  If  we  regard 
them  as  our  brothers  and  sisters  in  God's  family,  our 
equals  before  our  God  and  Creator,  Ave  may  feel  as- 
sured that  we  are  living  up  to  the  high  ideals  of  our  na- 
tion and  our  religion.  If  we  look  on  these  people  of 
other  nations  or  other  races  as  our  inferiors,  refuse  to 
have  felloAvship  with  them,  and  show  by  our  actions  that 
we  have  contempt  for  them,  we  are  neither  good  citizens 
of  the  United  States  nor  worthy  members  of  the  Church 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

Bible:  Verse:s 

Ex.  23:9;  Lev.  19:33,  34;  Deut.  1:16;  10:18;  23:7  8- 
24:14,  15;  Mai.  3:5;  Matt.  25:35;  Heb.  13:2. 

Re:vie:w  Questions 

1.  Why  did  Jesus  lead  his  disciples  on  a  journey 
through  the  countries  north  of  Galilee? 


156     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

2.  Tell  something  of  the  Phoenician  cities  on  the  east- 
ern coast  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea. 

3.  What  and  where  were  the  cedars  of  Lebanon? 

4.  Why  do  you  think  the  journey  through  Decapolis 
was  of  interest  to  Jesus  and  his  disciples? 

5.  Name  some  instances  where  Jesus  showed  friend- 
ship for  people  who  were  not  Jews. 

6.  Why  did  Jesus  not  spend  more  time  working 
among  Gentile  peoples? 

7.  How  did  the  S'yropha^nician  woman  show  her 
faith  in  Jesus? 

8.  Why  did  Jesus  refuse  to  show  signs  to  the  Phari- 
sees and  Sadducees? 

9.  What  statement  does  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence rnake  regarding  human  equality? 

10.  Tell  of  Paul's  changed  attitude  toward  his  fel- 
low men  after  he  became  a  follower  of  Jesus. 

Study  Topics 

1.  How  Americans  Should  Regard  Nearly  Forty 
Million  People  in  Our  Country  Who  Were  Born  in  Some 
Foreign  Land  or  Whose  Parents  Were  Born  in  Some 
Foreign  Land. 

2.  Name  Some  of  the  Good  Traits  of  Italian  Charac- 
ter. What  Contribution  Can  the  Four  Million  Italians 
in  America  Make  to  American  Life?  Find  Out  AVhich 
States  Contain  Most  of  These  Americans  of  Italian 
Lineage. 

3.  There  Are  More  Than  Three  Million  Poles  Liv- 
ing in  the  United  States.  Find  Out  Something  About 
the  History  of  Poland.  Who  Was  Kosciuszko? 
Sobieski?    AVho  is  Paderewski? 

4.  Name  a  Great  Philosopher  AVho  Was  a  Greek;  a 
Great  Poet;  a  Great  Sculptor.  Tell  Something  of 
Ancient  Greek  Civilization.  What  Contribution  Can  the 
Four  Hundred  Thousand  Greeks  in  Our  Country  Make 
to  American  Life  and  Civilization? 

5.  Three  Quarters  of  a  Million  of  Bohemians  and 
Moravians  Have  Come  to  This  Country  in  Recent  Years 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     157 

to  Make  This  Land  Their  Home.    Who  Was  John  Huss? 
Find  Out  Something  About  Moravian  Missions. 

6.  What  Foreign  Speaking  People  Live  in  Your 
Neighborhood? 

7.  Why  Is  It  Wrong  to  Use  Such  Nicknames  as 
"  Dago,"  "  Sheeny,"  and  "  Hunkie  "? 

8.  Which  Is  More  Important  for  a  Nation,  to  Be  of 
One  Race  or  of  One  Mind  and  One  Brotherhood? 

9.  Find  Out  Something  Which  the  Church  Is  Doing 
for  the  Immigrant. 

Committed:  Work 

Have  committee  investigate  and  report  on  the  prob- 
lem :  Foreign  People  of  Our  Community  and  What  We 
Can  Do  to  Help  Them. 

Have  committee  report  on  the  subject:  What  Our 
Denomination  Is  Doing  for  New  Americans. 

Thk  Law  of  Brotherhood  and  Justice  for  the 
Stranger  Within  Our  Gates 

Both  our  national  laws  and  our  religion  teach  us  that 
all  men  are  equal  in  the  sight  of  God  and  are  brothers. 
Therefore : 

1.  We  will  put  out  of  our  hearts  all  ill  will  toward 
the  people  of  foreign  lands  who  have  come  to  dwell 
among  us. 

2.  We  will  seek  to  secure  for  them  all  the  op- 
portunities and  privileges  which  we  ourselves  enjoy. 

3.  We  will  seek  to  make  our  country  a  worthy  part 
of  that  Kingdom  of  God  in  which  there  is  neither  Jew 
nor  Greek,  bond  nor  free,  but  in  which  Christ  is  "  all, 
and  in  all." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

WITH  HIS  DISCIPLES  ON  THE  SLOPES  OE 
MOUNT  HERMON 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

PETER'S  CONFESSION 
Matt.  16:13-21 

After  their  return  from  their  extended  northern  trip, 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  spent  some  time  on  the  eastern 
and  northern  shores  of  the  Sea  of  GaHlee.  Then  they 
moved  northward  along  the  valley  of  the  upper  Jordan 
until  they  came  to  a  town  called  Cresarea  Philippi  lying 
at  the  foot  of  Mount  Hermon.  The  sources  of  the 
Jordan  are  in  the  region  about  this  town.  At  numerous 
places  wonderful  springs  gush  forth  giving  rise  to  fair- 
sized  rivers.  Csesarea  Philippi  is  more  than  a  thousand 
feet  above  the  sea,  and  back  of  the  town  Mount  Hermon 
towers  up  more  than  eight  thousand  feet  higher.  It  was 
to  this  interesting  and  secluded  spot  that  Jesus  led  his 
disciples  for  one  of  the  most  important  conferences  he 
ever  held  with  them. 

Preparing  for  the  Announcement  of  his  Sufferings  and 
Death.  We  may  well  believe  that  Jesus  had  long  been 
preparing  to  tell  the  disciples  concerning  the  sufferings 
and  the  death  which  he  now  saw  to  be  inevitable  if  he 
should  persist  in  his  mission.  Perhaps  we  should  rather 
say  that  he  had  come  to  understand  that  this  rejection, 
suffering,  and  death  were  indispensable  in  God's  plans 
for  the  redemption  of  humanity.  The  northern  journey 
with  the  disciples  was  probably  undertaken  that  he 
might  prepare  them  for  this  revelation  so  likely  to  over- 
throw all  their  conceptions  as  to  what  the  Messiah 
should  be  and  do.  It  was  a  time  of  peril.  Would  the 
twelve  apostles  remain  true  to  their  Master  after  they 
learned  that  there  was  to  be  no  earthly  kingdom  such 

158 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     159 

as  they  had  expected?  The  multitudes  had  for  the  most 
part  gone  away.  One  of  the  disciples,  Judas  Iscariot, 
was  already  a  traitor  to  his  Master  in  his  innermost  feel- 
ings. Would  the  other  eleven  remain  true  when  they 
learned  that  their  Teacher  was  to  die  on  a  cross? 

As  at  other  times  of  stress  and  crisis,  Jesus  had  come 
away  from  the  haunts  of  men  into  the  solitary  places 
that  he  might  have  time  for  prayer,  meditation,  and  quiet 
conversation  with  his  disciples.  Luke  tells  us  that  the 
events  which  we  are  to  study  in  this  chapter  happened 
during  a  season  when  Jesus  was  "  praying  apart." 

Various  Opinions  Concerning  Jesus.  Matt.  16:13,  14. 
Jesus  approached  the  subject  which  he  wished  to  dis- 
cuss with  his  disciples  with  the  skill  characteristic  of 
the  great  Teacher.  He  said  to  his  disciples,  "  Who  do 
men  say  that  the  Son  of  man  is?"  The  disciples  replied, 
"Some  say  John  the  Baptist;  some,  Elijah;  and  others, 
Jeremiah,  or  one  of  the  prophets." 

The  opinions  of  these  people  were  very  good  as  far  as 
they  went,  but  it  is  well  to  note  that  none  of  the  people 
said  that  Jesus  was  the  Messiah  whom  they  were  ex- 
pecting. He  was  so  different  from  what  they  had  been 
taught  to  expect  the  Messiah  to  be  that  they  could  not 
yet  believe  that  he  was  the  long-expected  Deliverer. 

Other  opinions  concerning  Jesus  had  been  uttered 
from  time  to  time.  Some  of  these  were  cruel  and  un- 
just ;  they  were  not  based  on  the  facts  of  his  life  and 
character  but  on  the  jealousy,  prejudices,  and  hatreds  of 
his  critics.  The  Pharisees  had  called  him  a  deceiver  and 
had  said  that  he  was  in  league  with  the  prince  of  the 
demons.  Even  some  of  his  friends  had  said  that  he  was 
"  beside  himself."  His  neighbors  at  Nazareth  had  said 
of  him,  "  Is  not  this  the  carpenter?" 

"Who  Say  Ye  that  I  Am?"  Matt.  16:15.  Jesus  had 
asked  this  question  that  he  might  make  ready  for  another 
question  of  momentous  importance.  The  disciples  had 
reported  various  opinions  concerning  Jesus  as  they  were 
held  among  the  people.  Would  the  disciples  agree  with 
any  of  these?  Would  they  say  that  Jesus  was  Elijah, 
knew  that  they  would  not.  This  is  indicated  by  the 
or  Jeremiah,   or   some   other  prophet?     Jesus   evidently 


160    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

little  word  "but"  with  which  he  begins  his  question. 
"  But  who  say  ye  that  I  am  ?"  This  is  one  of  the  great- 
est questions  any  person  is  ever  called  upon  to  answer. 
We  must  all  answer  it  in  one  way  or  another.  Its 
answer  determines  momentous  consequences  for  us  both 
in  this  life  and  in  that  which  is  to  come.  People  who 
have  been  reared  in  Christian  homes  and  taught  in  the 
schools  of  the  Church  usually  answer  it  one  way  or 
another  before  they  are  sixteen  years  old. 

"  Thou  Art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Living  God." 
Matt.  16  :16,  17.  It  was  Peter  who  made  answer.  Peter 
was  ever  quick  to  speak  and  quick  to  act.  He  doubtless 
spoke,  too,  as  the  leader  of  the  disciples.  All  the  dis- 
ciples said  through  Peter  as  their  leader,  "  Thou  art  the 
Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  There  was  one  of 
the  Twelve,  however,  who  if  he  said  the  words  with  his 
lips  did  not  mean  them  in  his  heart.  That  one  was  Judas 
Iscariot. 

The  Christian  Church  had  its  beginning  that  day  on 
the  slopes  of  Mount  Hermon  when  the  eleven  men 
avowed  together  their  sincere  belief  that  Jesus  was  the 
Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God.  All  that  had  gone  before 
had  been  largely  a  preparation  for  the  great  decision 
they  reached  that  day.  They  had  much  still  to  learn, 
but  they  were  already  true  followers  of  Jesus.  They  had 
confessed  him  as  Lord  and  Master. 

A  great  wave  of  joy  and  relief  swept  over  the  soul  of 
Jesus  at  the  words  of  his  leading  disciple.  "  Blessed  art 
thou,  Simon  Bar-Jonah,"  he  said,  "  for  flesh  and  blood 
hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  who  is  in 
heaven."  The  belief  in  Jesus  as  God's  Son  is  something 
more  than  a  mere  intellectual  act.  It  is  a  response  of 
our  souls  to  the  wonderful  and  beautiful  personality  of 
Jesus  as  he  is  revealed  to  us  in  the  Bible,  in  the  lives  of 
those  who  know  and  love  him,  and  through  the  work 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  our  hearts. 

The  Foundations  of  the  Unconquerable  Church.  Matt. 
16:18-20.  "  And  I  .  . .  say  unto  thee,  that  thou  art  Peter, 
and  upon  this  rock  I  will  build  my  church ;  and  the 
gates  of  Hades  shall  not  prevail  against  it."  "  Hades  " 
is  a  term  which  includes  all  the  forces  of  death,  decay, 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     161 

and  destruction.  Jesus  meant  that  he  would  build  his 
Church  out  of  people  who,  like  Peter  and  the  other  dis- 
ciples, had  come  to  believe  on  him  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  He  meant  that  all  the 
forces  of  evil  and  destruction  could  never  be  able  to 
bring  to  naught  the  work  which  he  had  begun.  "  Upon 
this  rock  I  will  build  my  church "  was  a  figure  such 
as  Jesus  the  carpenter  would  use.  He  knew  the  value 
of  right  foundations.  It  was  a  figure  that  the  disciples 
would  understand.  Many  of  the  buildings  of  Palestine 
were  constructed  on  foundation  stones  of  wonderful  size. 
"  Teacher,  behold  what  manner  of  stones,  are  here,'*  the 
disciples  had  said  to  Jesus  one  day  as  they  were  coming 
out  of  the  Temple.  They  were,  indeed,  very  wonderful 
stones.  Some  of  them  were  fifteen  feet  long,  four  and  a 
half  feet  wide,  and  four  and  a  half  feet  thick.  Yet  Jesus 
told  the  disciples  that  the  day  was  coming  when  not  one 
of  these  great  stones  should  be  left  upon  another. 

Frorp  the  higher  slopes  of  Hermon  the  ruins  of  Baal- 
bek can  be  seen  away  to  the  northward  at  the  foot 
of  the  Anti-Lebanon  range  of  mountains.  It  is  possible 
that  Jesus  visited  these  ruins  when  he  was  on  the  north- 
ern journey  with  his  disciples.  Some  of  the  most 
wonderful  foundation  stones  in  the  world  are  found  in 
the  ruins  of  Baalbek.  One  that  still  lies  in  the  quarry 
from  which  it  was  cut  is  seventy  feet  long,  fourteen  feet 
wide,  and  thirteen  feet  thick.  Others  almost  as  large 
have  been  removed  from  the  quarry,  carried  long  dis- 
tances, and  lifted  to  positions  in  the  foundations  of  the 
ancient  Temple.  Great  as  were  these  foundations,  the 
temples  erected  upon  them  have  fallen  into  ruin.  Time 
and  the  vicissitudes  of  history  have  brought  their  mag- 
nificance  down  to  the  dust. 

Perhaps  Jesus  and  his  disciples  had  facts  like  these  in 
mind  when  the  words  were  uttered,  "  Upon  this  rock  I 
will  build  my  church;  and  the  gates  of  Hades  shall  not 
prevail  against  it."  When  we  study  the  history  of  the 
Christian  Church,  we  see  that  time  and  again  the  gates 
of  Hades  have  been  opened  against  it  for  its  destruction, 
but  we  see,  too,  that  they  have  not  prevailed. 

Jesus   Foretells  his   Death   and   Resurrection.     Matt. 


162    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

16:21-28.  It  was  now  possible  for  Jesus  to  tell  the  dis- 
ciples concerning  his  approaching  sufferings  and  death. 
He  was  sure  that  their  faith  in  him  as  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Saviour  of  the  world  would  stand  even  this 
severe  test.  Believing  in  him  as  God's  Son  they  would 
come  to  know  that  he  must  do  all  things  well  and  that 
even  though  he  should  suffer  death  at  the  hands  of  his 
enemies,  he  must  in  the  end  be  the  Conqueror  of  death 
itself.  Yet  the  announcement  was  one  of  severe  test- 
ing for  the  disciples.  It  seemed  to  be  the  destruction  of 
all  that  they  had  hoped  and  believed.  Peter,  loyal  and 
impulsive,  declared  that  these  things  should  never  be. 
Jesus  saw  in  Peter's  actions  the  suggestions  of  the 
Tempter  and  he  rebuked  Peter  saying  to  him,  "  Get  thee 
behind  me,  Satan :  thou  art  a  stumblingblock  unto  me : 
for  thou  mindest  not  the  things  of  God,  but  the  things 
of  men."  Then  Jesus  uttered  one  of  the  most  courage- 
ous challenges  to  heroism  to  be  found  in  all  history. 
He  had  just  told  his  disciples  that  he  was  soon  going  up 
to  Jerusalem  and  that  there  he  would  be  rejected  by  his 
own  nation  and  crucified  by  the  Romans.  Now  he  called 
upon  his  disciples  to  follow  in  his  steps.  "  If  any  man 
would  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up 
his  cross,  and  follow  me."  There  was  a  ringing  note  of 
confidence  in  these  words  of  Jesus.  He  seemed  to  be  as- 
sured that  his  disciples,  having  believed  in  him  as  the 
Son  of  God,  would  ultimately  rise  to  that  lofty  devotion 
and  courage  which  would  make  them  glad  to  lay  down 
their  lives  for  the  great  cause  which  was  so  dear  to  him. 
It  is  good  to  know  that  this  confidence  of  Jesus  was  well 
founded.  Nearly  all  the  disciples  at  last  gave  their  lives 
for  the  srreat  cause. 


Note:book  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook :  The  Transfigura- 
tion, by  Raphael  (339,  Perry,  page  240,  Bailey)  ;  Christ's 
Charge  to  St.  Peter,  by  Raphael  (88  Wilde). 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     163 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

THE  TRANSFIGURATION 

Matt.  17:1-20 

We  have  seen  how  Jesus  often  spent  nights  in  prayer 
when  some  grave  problem  was  pressing  upon  him  for 
solution.  On  such  occasions  he  usually  retired  to  some 
secluded  spot  where  he^  could  be  entirely  alone  with  God. 
In  this  lesson  we  are  to  learn  of  one  such  night  of  prayer 
when  Jesus  took  three  of  his  disciples  with  him,  and  of 
the  wonderful  events  which  occurred  during  that  night 
of  prayer  on  the  mountain. 

The  Mount  of  Transfiguration.  Bible  students  are 
now  quite  well  agreed  that  the  events  described  in  this 
lesson  occurred  on  Mount  Hermon,  the  highest  moun- 
tain of  Palestine.  This  mountain  is  over  nine  thousand 
feet  high  and  snow  lies  on  some  of  its  northern  slopes 
throughout  the  year.  The  view  from  its  summit  is  of 
vast  extent.  "  Northward  is  Lebanon  and  Anti-Lebanon, 
with  the  ruined  temple  of  Baalbek  at  its  feet.  .  .  .  East- 
ward the  city  of  Damascus,  with  its  gardens  and  groves, 
appears  surprisingly  near,  while  the  prospect  fades  away 
over  and  beyond  the  Hauran  to  where  earth  and  sky 
meet  and  blend  together  along  the  indistinct  and  hazy 
horizon  of  Arabia's  boundless  desert.  Southward  lies 
the  plain  of  the  Huleh,  Lake  Merom,  and  the  Sea  of 
Galilee ;  and,  farther  than  the  eye  can  follow,  the  valley 
of  the  Jordan  sinks  down  into  the  deep  chasm  of  the 
Dead  Sea.  The  mountains  of  Bashan  and  Gilead  are 
there;  and  westward,  across  the  Jordan,  are  the  hills  of 
Samaria  and  Galilee,  the  promontory  of  Carmel,  and  the 
coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon ;  while  beyond  them  all  is  the 
broad  expanse  of  *  the  uttermost  sea  *  that  '  great  and 
wide  sea ' "  of  which  the  psalmist  sang."  (Thomson, 
"  The  Land  and  the  Book,''  Vol.  II,  page^  522.) 

It  was  to  the  fastnesses  of  this  great  mountain  that 
Jesus  had  retired  to  pray  and  to  be  alone  with  his  dis- 
ciples as  they  confessed  him  to  be  their  Lord  and  Mes- 
siah and  he  told  them  of  the  sufferings  and  death  through 
which  he  was  to  accomplish  the  plans  of  God  and  redeem 
mankind  from  iniquity. 


164    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  EESSONS 

A  Week  of  Sorrow  and  Perplexity.  Matt.  17  :1.  Jesus' 
announcement  of  his  approaching  death  must  have  been 
a  great  shock  to  his  disciples.  After  he  had  told  them 
what  was  to  happen  to  him,  the  little  company  still 
lingered  for  some  days  in  the  solitudes  of  the  mountain. 
It  must  have  been  a  week  of  sorrow  and  perplexity  that 
intervened  between  Jesus'  announcement  of  his  death 
and  his  transfiguration.  It  must  have  lingered  long  in 
the  memories  of  the  disciples  for  .it  is  specially  men- 
tioned by  three  of  the  gospel  writers.  The  disciples  had 
believed  that  Jesus,  as  the  Messiah,  would  set  up  a  king- 
dom which  would  displace  the  hated  rule  of  the  Romans. 
They  had  pictured  themselves  as  honored  officiajs  in  this 
glorious  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  Now  Jesus  had  told 
them  that  the  enemies  who  had  so  long  been  hounding 
his  footsteps  would  soon  succeed  in  having  him  put  to 
death.  Instead  of  a  crown  there  was  to  be  a  cross. 
Moreover,  Jesus  had  told  them  that  they,  too,  must  be 
willing  to  follow  him  through  sufferings  and  death,  if 
the  cause  in  which  they  were  engaged  was  to  succeed. 
This  week  of  sorrow  and  perplexity  ended  with  a  won- 
derful event  which  assured  the  disciples  that  they  were 
not  mistaken  in  their  decision  that  Jesus  was  the  Son  of 
God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

A  Glimpse  at  the  Glorified  Christ.  Matt.  17  :2-8.  The 
Bible  teaches  us  that  Jesus  is  the  eternal  Son  of  God, 
that  he  has  existed  forever  with  the  Father,  and  that 
he  "  emptied  himself  and  took  upon  himself  the  form  of 
a  servant  "  when  he  came  to  earth.  In  the  events  which 
we  are  now  to  study  it  seems  that  the  glories  of  the  Son 
of  God  were  for  a  little  while  revealed  to  the  disciples 
in  order  that  they  might  have  comfort  and  assurance  in 
the  dark  days  of  their  sorrow  and  perplexity. 

Jesus  had  taken  with  him  Peter  and  James  and  John 
and  had  gone  up  to  some  height  of  the  mountain  to 
pray.  While  he  prayed  his  appearance  was  changed. 
His  face  glowed  with  a  heavenly  light  and  even  his 
garments  became  glistening  with  a  brightness  unknown 
to  earth.  Then  there  appeared  two  heavenly  visitors 
who  talked  with  Jesus  and  the  subject  of  their  conver- 
sation was  the  approaching  death  of  Jesus  at  Jerusalem. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     165 

As  they  talked  a  bright  cloud,  symbol  of  the  presence 
of  God,  gathered  over  them  and  there  came  a  voice  out 
of  the  cloud,  saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye  him."  Then  the  vision 
quickly  disappeared  and  Jesus  was  standing  alone  with 
his  disciples. 

From  the  Mountain  Top  of  Religious  Experience 
Down  to  the  Valley  of  Ceaseless  Toil  and  Human  Need. 
Matt.  17  :9-21.  While  Jesus  and  his  three  disciples  were 
on  the  mountain,  the  other  disciples  were  having  a  try- 
ing time  in  the  valley.  A  father  with  an  epileptic  boy 
brought  his  child  to  the  disciples,  imploring  them  to 
heal  him.  The  disciples  undertook  to  comply  with  the 
father's  request,  but  they  failed  utterly.  The  failure  of 
the  disciples  caused  much  excitement.  The  enemies  of 
Jesus  were  quick  to  seize  upon  this  failure  of  the  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus  that  they  might  thereby  discredit  their 
Master. 

Peter  had  wished  to  build  habitations  on  the  mountain 
that  Jesus  and  Elijah  and  Moses  might  dwell  there  per- 
manently with  the  three  disciples  as  their  companions, 
but  Jesus  had  no  such  plan  in  mind.  He  knew  that  the 
religious  life,  if  it  is  to  be  true,  must  be  something  more 
than  rapturous  experiences  on  the  mountain  tops  of 
spiritual  experience.  He  knew  that  true  religion  means 
toil  and  sympathy  and  helpfulness  in  the  midst  of  a 
needy  humanity. 

As  Jesus  drew  near  with  his  three  disciples,  the  father 
of  the  epileptic  boy  came  to  him,  imploring  him  to  heal 
his  child  and  telling  of  the  failure  of  the  disciples.  The 
man's  faith  in  Jesus  had  begun  to  waver  because  of  the 
failure  of  the  disciples,  but  Jesus  rebuked  them  all  and 
commanded  that  the  boy  be  brought  to  him.  Then  he 
healed  the  boy. 

Afterward  the  disciples  came  to  Jesus  and  , asked  him 
why  they  had  not  been  able  to  heal  the  lad  and  Jesus 
told  them  that  it  was  because  of  their  lack  of  faith.  He 
said  to  them,  "  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard 
seed,  ye  shall  say  unto  this  mountain.  Remove  hence 
to  yonder  place;  and  it  shall  remove;  and  nothing  shall 
be  impossible  unto  you." 


166     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The:  Le:sson  Praye:r 

We  thank  thee,  our  Father  in  heaven,  for  the  Bible 
and  its  wonderful  lessons  of  truth.  We  thank  thee  for 
the  life  and  character  of  Jesus,  thy  Son,  who  was  faith- 
ful to  duty  and  truth  under  circumstances  of  appalling 
danger  and  hardship.  We  thank  thee  for  the  faithful 
disciples  who  remained  loyal  to  their  Master  although 
they  could  not  understand  his  methods  and  his  purposes. 
If  thou  shouldst  ever  lead  us  through  ways  that  are 
dark  with  perplexity  and  sorrow,  help  us,  like  the  dis- 
ciples of  Jesus,  to  keep  a  firm  faith  in  our  Teacher  and 
Friend.  Teach  us  to  love  him  and  to  believe  in  him  as 
thy  Son  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  May  we  every 
day  grow  more  like  him  in  character  and  in  our  habits 
of  life.     We  ask  thee  in  the  name  of  Jesus.     Amen. 

The:  Le;SvSon  Hymn 

Lord  Jesus,  on  the  holy  mount 

We  would  abide  with  thee, 
Still  drinking  from  the  blessed  fount 

Of  grace,  so  rich  and  free. 

The  rays  of  thy  transfigured  face 

Beam  with  such  golden  light 
That  we  would  never  leave  the  place, 

Nor  lose  the  heavenly  sight. 

But  there  is  work  on  earth  to  do. 

The  suffering  soul  to  heal; 
The  harvest  great,  the  laborers  few 

Thy  kingdom  to  reveal. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  214. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  UNCONQUERABLE  CHURCH 

Acts  2:43-47 

The  declaration  of  Jesus  that  the  gates  of  Hades  could 
never  prevail  against  a  Church  founded  upon  the  confes- 
sion of  himself  as  the  Messiah  and  Son  of  God  has  been 
proved  true  time  and  again  in  the  centuries  which  have 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     167 

passed  since  the  words  were  uttered.  The  powers  of 
evil  have  been  united  again  and  again  in  an  organized 
effort  to  destroy  Christianity,  but  they  have  never  pre- 
vailed against  it.  Indeed,  it  has  often  happened  that 
during  such  periods  of  persecution  the  Church  has  been 
at  its  best  in  purity  of  doctrines  and  in  its  zeal  for  the 
evangelization  of  the  world. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  words  of  Jesus  ap- 
ply, however,  only  to  a  Church  which  is  his,  and  which 
he  has  builded,  and  which  is  built  upon  confession  of  his 
divine  Sonship  and  Lordship.  The  words  evidently  ap- 
ply to  what  we  call  the  Church  universal,  that  is,  to  the 
great  Church  which  is  made  up  of  all  true  believers  in 
Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God.  They  do  not  mean  that  any 
one  form  of  organization  or  any  one  denomination  is 
unconquerable. 

Bible:  Verses 
Col.   1:18;  Acts   14:23;  8:1-4;   16:5;   Eph.   1:22;  Rev. 
11:15;  Eph.  5:27. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Why  did  Jesus  command  his  disciples  to  refrain 
from  telling  anyone  that  he  was  the  Christ  ?  Matt.  16 : 
20. 

2.  Why  did  he  tell  his  disciples  to  keep  silence  re- 
garding the  transfiguration  until  after  he  was  risen  from 
the  dead?    Matt.  17:9. 

3.  Was  the  death  of  Christ  inevitable,  or  was  it  in- 
dispensable?    (Look  up  meaning  of  these  two  words.) 

4.  Why  did  not  Jesus  tell  his  disciples  that  he  was 
the  Messiah  as  soon  as  they  became  his  followers? 

5.  Is  it  possible  for  anyone  to  avoid,  answering  the 
question  of  Jesus,  "  Who  say  ye  that  I  am  "? 

6.  Why  is  faith  in  Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God  so  im- 
portant a  matter  for  the  individual?  for  the  Church? 

7.  How  did  the  transfiguration  help  the  disciples? 

8.  Does  Jesus  care  whether  his  Church  is  divided  or 
not?    John  17:20,  21. 

9.  if  we  emphasize  a  belief  in  Jesus  as  the  Son  of 
God  more,  and  other  matters  on  which   Christians  dif- 


168    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

fer  were  emphasized  less,  do  you  think  we  could  have 
more  of  Christian  unity? 

10.  Name  some  benefits  which  came  to  countries 
where  the  Christian  Church  is  strong. 

Study  Topics 

1.  What  the  Christian  Church  Was  Like  in  the  First 
Days  of  Its  Existence.    Acts  2 :43-47. 

2.  The  First  Persecution  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Acts  4:1-12. 

3.  The  Persecution  Which  Was  Led  by  Saul.  Acts 
8:1-8. 

4.  The  Persecution  Under  Herod.     Acts,  ch.  12. 

5.  How  a  Dangerous  Controversy  in  the  Early 
Church  Was  Settled.    Acts  15  :l-29. 

6.  The  Persecutions  Under  Nero.  (See  any  good 
Church  history.) 

7.  The  Persecutions  Under  Domitian. 

8.  Persecution  of  the  Hussites. 

9.  The  Protestant  Reformation  and  How  It  Shows 
the  Truth  of  Jesus'  Words  Regarding  the  Indestructi- 
bility of  His  Church. 

10.  Are  There  Any  People  in  the  World  To-Day 
Who  Would  Destroy  the  Christian  Church  If  They 
Could? 

Committe:^:  Work 
Give  committee  task  of  reporting  on  the  topic:  What 
Is  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches? 

The:  Law  oi?  Loyalty  to  Jssus  and  His  Church 
Nearly  two  thousand  years  of  history  show  us  that 
the  Christian  Church  is  a  blessing  and  that,  so  long  as 
it  is  true  to  its  Founder,  it  cannot  be  destroyed  by  all 
the  forces  of  evil.     Therefore: 

1.  We  will  honor  the  Church  of  Christ  and  speak  in 
its  defense  when  we  hear  it  slandered  and  maligned. 

2.  We  will  make  it  a  task  of  our  lives  to  help  the 
Church  to  be  united,  pure,  and  strong. 

3.  We  will  seek  that  fellowship  with  Jesus  which 
will  help  us  to  be  true  members  of  his  Church. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

AN  EVANGELISTIC  CAMPAIGN  IN  THE 
REGION  EAST  OF  THE  JORDAN 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

LABORING  UNDER  THE  SHADOW  OF  THE  CROSS 
Matt.  19:1,  2;  Luke  10:1-24;  Matt.  20:20-28 

Jesus  now  knew  that  the  Jewish  nation  would  reject 
him  and  that  his  own  life  would  be  taken  unless  he 
abandoned  the  cause  to  which  he  had  been  called.  He 
had  told  his  disciples  what  awaited  him  and  them  in  the 
near  future,  yet  there  was  no  slackening  of  his  efforts. 
'*  We  must  work  the  works  of  him  that  sent  me,  while 
it  is  day,"  he  said  to  his  disciples,  *' the  night  cometh, 
when  no  man  can  work."  It  takes  heroic  courage 
to  labor  on  under  such  circumstances  as  surrounded  Jesus 
from  this  time  on  to  the  end  of  his  ministry.  Only  pro- 
found unselfishness  can  enable  a  person  to  labor  on  with 
devotion  and  enthusiasm  when  all  prospect  of  personal 
advantage  has  been  taken  away.  Jesus  possessed  such 
unselfish  devotion.  Immediately  after  the  week  spent 
with  his  disciples  in  the  region  about  Mount  Hermon, 
we  find  Jesus  entering  upon  the  most  extensive  cam- 
paign of  evangelization  he  ever  undertook. 

Perea  and  the  Country  Across  the  Jordan.  Matt.  19: 
1,  2.  There  was  a  considerable  region  lying  east  of  the 
Jordan  which  in  the  days  of  Jesus  was  thickly  populated. 
The  people  living  there  were  mostly  Jews.  Jesus  had 
covered  most  of  the  other  parts  of  'Palestine  in  his 
preaching  tours.  But  apparently  he  had  up  to  this  time 
done  nothing  in  Perea.  Hence  we  find  him  entering 
this  field  at  this  time  with  a  well-planned  program. 
Most  of  his  remaining  time  was  given  to  work  in  this 

169 


170     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

region.  The  Jewish  leaders  had  already  rejected  him 
and  it  was  now  certain  that  the  nation  as  a  whole  would 
not  receive  him  as  the  Messiah,  but  these  facts  did  not 
cause  Jesus  to  lessen  his  efforts.  He  might  still  reach 
individuals  who  would  be  responsive  to  the  truth.  He 
could  still  lay  the  foundations  for  that  advance  of  his 
cause  which  he  foresaw  must  come  when  his  disciples 
should  take  up  the  task  in  the  years  that  were  to  come. 

Two  Visits  to  Jerusalem.  John  10  :22  to  11 :16.  Twice 
during  his  Perean  ministry  Jesus  left  his  work  and  went 
up  to  Jerusalem.  Jesus  could  now  enter  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Jerusalem  only  at  the  risk  of  his  life.  Pharisees, 
Sadducees,  and  Herodians  had  for  the  time  being  for- 
gotten their  hatred  of  one  another  and  were  united  in 
their  determination  to  destroy  Jesus  at  any  cost.  Such 
a  political  combination  had  great  power.  Even  Pilate, 
the  Roman  governor,  would  not  dare  to  deny  anything 
such  a  group  should  demand.  Nevertheless,  Jesus 
went  boldly  up  to  Jerusalem  when  he  had  occasion  to 
do  so.  His  first  trip  was  made  because  of  his  patriot- 
ism and  his  loyalty  to  the  religious  customs  of  his  fore- 
fathers. The  feast  of  dedication  was  to  be  held  on  a 
certain  day.  This  feast  commemorated  the  rededication 
of  the  Temple  which  had  been  polluted  by  the  ofifering 
of  pagan  sacrifices  under  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  but 
which  had  been  rescued  from  the  rule  of  that  cruel 
tyrant  by  the  heroic  Judas  Maccabseus.  The  feast  of 
dedication  was  therefore  something  like  our  Fourth  of 
July  in  that  it  commemorated  national  independence. 

Jesus  would  not  stay  away  from  Jerusalem  on  this 
great  feast  day  so  he  went  up  to  the  city,  and  while  he 
was  there  he  taught  the  people  in  the  courts  of  the 
Temple.  He  would  neither  stay  away  from  the  city  be- 
cause of  personal  danger  nor  refain  from  using  every  op- 
portunity while  there  to  teach  the  people  who  were 
hungry  to  hear  his  message.  The  sight  of  Jesus  teach- 
ing in  the  Temple  filled  the  Jewish  leaders  with  a  great 
rage  and  they  attempted  to  stone  him. 

The  second  visit  to  Jerusalem  was  made  under  even 
■more  perilous  circumstances  than  the  visit  which  we 
have  just  considered.     Word  came  to  Jesus  from  Mary 


IxMTKRMEDIATH  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     171 

and  Martha,  of  Bethany,  that  their  brother  Lazarus  was 
ill.  When  Jesus  proposed  that  they  go  up  to  Bethany, 
the  disciples  protested.  They  said,  "  Rabbi,  the  Jews 
were  but  now  seeking  to  stone  thee;  and  goest  thou 
thither  again?"  But  Jesus  was  not  to  be  deterred  from 
going  where  there  was  sorrow  and  need  because  the 
going  put  him  in  personal  peril.  How  calmly  and 
courageously  he  answered  the  protest  of  his  disciples: 
''Are  there  not  twelve  hours  in  the  day?  If  a  man 
walk  in  the  day,  he  stumbleth  not,  because  he  seeth  the 
light  of  this  world.  But  if  a  man  walk  in  the  night,  he 
stumbleth,  because  the  light  is  not  in  him."  Jesus  was 
walking  in  the  light  of  God's  guidance  and  he  knew  that 
no  accident  could  befall  him.  He  knew  that  his  enemies 
could  do  him  no  harm  until  the  moment  for  his  de- 
liverance into  their  hands  had  come. 

The  Sending  Out  of  the  Seventy  Disciples.  Luke  10: 
1-24.  Jesus  entered  with  great  energy  upon  his  campaign 
east  of  the  Jordan.  He  organized  a  company  of  seventy 
disciples  and  sent  them  out,  two  by  two,  into  all  the 
region  where  he  was  planning  to  carry  on  his  work. 
These  thirty-five  bands  went,  therefore,  into  all  the  vil- 
lages and  towns  of  Perea,  and  thus  it  is  probable  that 
there  were  very  few  people  in  all  the  region  who  did 
not  have  an  opportunity  to  hear  about  Jesus. 

The  undertaking  was  highly  successful,  for  we  are 
told  that  the  seventy  disciples  returned  with  joy  to  their 
Master  saying  to  him,  ''  Lord,  even  the  demons  are  sub- 
ject to  us  in  thy  name."  The  report  of  the  seventy  dis- 
ciples made  Jesus  glad.  "  In  that  .  .  .  hour  he  rejoiced 
in  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  said,  I  thank  thee,  O  Father, 
Lord  of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  didst  hide  these 
things  from  the  wise  and  understanding,  and  didst  re- 
veal them  unto  babes:  yea,  Father;  for  so  it  was  well- 
pleasing  in  thy  sight."    Luke  10  :21. 

The  Enemies  of  Jesus  Try  to  Frighten  Him  Out  of 
the  Country.  Luke  13:31-33.  The  scribes  and  Phari- 
sees had  probably  noted  the  somewhat  prolonged  ab- 
sence of  Jesus  from  the  country  when  he  was  away  with 
his  disciples  on  the  northern  journey.  Very  likely  they 
misinterpreted  his  actions  and  believed  that  he  had  with- 


172    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

drawn  from  the  territory  of  the  Jews  because  of  a  de- 
sire for  personal  safety.  Perhaps  they  thought  that  he 
had  now  only  ventured  back  with  hesitation  and  could 
be  again  driven  away.  So  they  sent  messengers  to  him, 
telling  him  that  he  had  better  leave  the  country  for 
Herod  was  plotting  to  kill  him.  There  was  nothing  im- 
probable in  such  a  report.  Herod  had  already  taken  the 
life  of  John  the  Baptist  and  it  might  well  be  true  that  he 
was  planning  to  make  away  with  Jesus. 

But  the  scheme  of  the  Pharisees  did  not  succeed  with 
Jesus.  He  was  not  to  be  frightened  from  his  task.  It 
may  be  that  Herod  had,  indeed,  made  some  such  threat. 
Possibly  he  had  made  it  at  the  suggestion  of  the  Phari- 
sees and  to  please  them.  Something  of  the  kind  seems 
to  have  been  suspected  by  Jesus.  He  felt  that  there 
was  a  cunning  scheme  and  that  probably  Herod  was 
connected  with  it,  for  he  answered  the  messengers:  "  Go 
and  say  to  that  fox,  Behold,  I  cast  out  demons  and  per- 
form cures  to-day  and  to-morrow,  and  the  third  day  I 
am  perfected.  Nevertheless  I  must  go  on  my  way  to- 
day and  to-morrow  and  the  day  following:  for  it  cannot 
be  that  a  prophet  perish  out  of  Jerusalem." 

The  Unworthy  Ambitions  of  James  and  John.  Matt. 
20  :20-28.  It  may  seem  strange  to  us  that  even  up  to  this 
time  the  disciples  were  still  thinking  of  a  temporal  king- 
dom which  they  believed  Jesus  would  soon  establish. 
They  had  been  taught  from  childhood  to  think  of  the 
work  of  the  Messiah  in  this  way  and  the  early  influences 
of  life  and  its  early  impressions  are  not  changed  in  a  day. 
All  the  disciples  had  become  followers  of  Jesus  fully  ex- 
pecting a  temporal  kingdom  to  be  established  and  with 
personal  ambitions  to  attain  positions  of  prominence  in 
the  government  of  such  a  kingdom.  Even  after  Jesus' 
plain  statements  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Hermon,  the 
disciples  kept  on  thinking  and  talking  about  the  king- 
dom which  they  had  so  long  expected. 

Two  of  the  disciples,  James  and  John,  were  especially 
anxious  about  the  place  they  were  to  occupy  in  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  kingdom  they  expected  Jesus  to  set  up. 
They  schemed  to  get  the  highest  places  for  themselves. 
So  they  enlisted  the  help  of  their  mother  and,  without 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     173 

letting  the  other  disciples  know,  they  came  to  Jesus  with 
a  certain  request.  They  presented  their  request  with  a 
good  deal  of  formal  courtesy,  we  are  told  that  they 
worshiped  him.  They  tried  to  get  Jesus  to  promise 
them  what  they  desired  before  he  knew  the  nature  of 
their  request.  They  knew  that  Jesus  loved  them  and 
respected  them,  and  it  would  almost  seem  that  they 
wished  to  make  capital  for  themselves  out  of  his  regard 
for  them.  Jesus  was  not  to  be  deceived.  He  put  to 
them  a  direct  question:  "What  wouldest  thou?"  Then 
the  two  brothers  and  their  mother  joined  in  a  request 
that  when  the  kingdom  was  set  up,  one  of  the  brothers 
might  sit  at  the  right  hand  of  Jesus  and  the  other  at  the 
left.  That  is,  they  wished  to  be  prime  ministers,  or 
chief  officials  of  the  government,  next  in  power  and 
honor  to  the  king.  There  is  a  note  of  sadness  and  dis- 
appointment, as  well  as  a  deep  compassion,  in  the  words 
of  Jesus  as  he  said  to  these  two  disciples  of  his :  "  Ye 
know  not  what  ye  ask.  Are  ye  able  to  drink  the  cup 
that  I  am  about  to  drink?" 

When  the  other  disciples  heard  of  the  request  of  the 
two  brothers  and  their  mother,  they  were  angry.  They 
felt  that  James  and  John  had  no  right  to  use  such 
methods  to  advance  themselves  over  the  other  disciples. 
Calling  the  company  together,  Jesus  kindly  and 
patiently  explained  matters  to  them.  He  told  them  they 
were  not  to  try  to  "  lord  it "  over  one  another  as  the 
Gentiles  were  accustomed  to  do,  but  that  whoever 
among  them  would  be  great  should  become  the  servant 
of  all.  He  said  that  he  had  come  among  men,  "  not  to 
be  ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life 
a  ransom  for  many." 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  The  Good  Samari- 
tan, by  Plockhorst  (466  Wilde)  ;  Christ  and  Zebedee's 
Children,  by  Bonifacio  (121  Wilde). 


174     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

SOME  LESSONS  GIVEN  DURING  THE  PEREAN 
MINISTRY 

Luke  14  :7-14  ;  10  :25-37  ;  12  :13-21 

Some  of  the  greatest  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus  were 
given  in  the  midst  of  his  busy  evangelistic  campaign  in 
Perea.  In  this  lesson  v^e  are  to  study  some  of  the  utter- 
ances of  Jesus  which  belong  to  the  period  of  the  Perean 
ministry. 

A  Lesson  on  Courtesy.  Luke  14:7-14.  One  day  Jesus 
was  invited  to  the  house  of  a  leading  Pharisee.  This 
particular  Pharisee  may  have  been  friendly  to  Jesus  or 
he  may  have  invited  Jesus  to  his  house  out  of  curiosity 
and  possibly  because  he  wished  to  find  grounds  for  ef- 
fective criticism  of  Jesus'  ways  and  methods.  We  know 
that  some  of  the  guests  were  watching  Jesus  all  the  time 
he  was  in  the  Pharisee's  house.  But  Jesus  was  watching 
them,  also.  He  noted  that  all  the  guests  at  the  feast  were 
evidently  people  of  wealth.  They  were  the  friends  and 
relatives  of  the  wealthy  Pharisee  who  had  given  the  din- 
ner. How  different  they  were  from  the  people  with 
whom  Jesus  came  in  contact  every  day  in  the  market 
places  and  along  the  shores  of  the  Sea  of  Galilee ! 

Jesus  noted  that  some  of  these  finely  dressed  people 
were  angry  because  they  had  not  gotten  just  the  seats 
that  they  felt  they  ought  to  occupy.  The  seats  nearest 
to  the  host  were  the  places  of  honor  and  there  seems  to 
have  been  a  good  deal  of  rivalry  as  to  who  should  occupy 
them.  The  host  had  evidently  neglected  to  provide  place 
cards  and  each  guest  seemed  inclined  to  choose  the  high- 
est place  of  honor  for  himself.  Now  Jesus  was  not  afraid 
to  tell  these  people  some  plain  truths  about  the  funda- 
mentals of  etiquette.  He  told  them  that  the  courteous 
thing  to  do  under  the  circumstances  would  be  for  each  of 
them  not  to  seek  the  seat  of  greatest  honor  but  to  take 
the  lowest  seat  of  all.  He  spoke  to  them  of  a  law  of 
retribution  and  a  law  of  compensation  which  runs 
through  the  whole  warp  and  woof  of  existence.  He  said 
that  whoever  exalted  himself  would  in  the  end  inevitably 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     175 

be  abased  and  that  whoever  humbled  himself  by  an  in- 
evitable law  would  through  his  unselfishness  be  exalted. 

Then  Jesus  turned  to  the  host.  He  had  a  lesson  for 
him,  too.  He  told  this  Pharisee  that  he  was  making  a 
mistake  by  inviting  only  his  rich  relatives  and  friends 
to  this  great  supper.  These  friends  and  relatives  would 
in  turn  invite  him  and  so  no  one  was  really  benefited  very 
much.  ''  When  thou  makest  a  feast,"  he  said,  "  bid  the 
poor,  the  maimed,  the  lame,  the  blind :  and  thou  shalt  be 
blessed ;  because  they  have  not  wherewith  to  recompense 
thee :  for  thou  shalt  be  recompensed  in  the  resurrection  of 
the  just." 

A  Lesson  on  Neighborliness.  Luke  10  :25-37.  One  day 
a  lawyer  came  to  Jesus  and  asked  him,  ''  Teacher,  what 
shall  I  do  to  inherit  eternal  life?"  The  questioner  was 
not  a  lawyer  such  as  we  have  to-day.  He  was  an 
ecclesiastical  lawyer,  an  expert  in  the  law  of  Moses  and 
in  the  many  interpretations  which  the  rabbis  had  given 
concerning  how  that  law  ought  to  be  kept.  His  question 
was  not  personal  but  merely  theoretical.  He  was  not 
concerned  about  the  eternal  welfare  of  his  soul.  He 
doubtless  considered  himself  perfectly  safe  on  that  score 
for  he  believed  that  to  know  the  Mosaic  law  and  its  in- 
terpretations was  all  that  was  required.  The  lawyer  had 
a  subtle  purpose  in  asking  Jesus  this  question.  He  be- 
lieved that  he  could  compel  Jesus  to  make  some  state- 
ment which  would  prove  him  to  be  a  heretic  and  which 
would  discredit  him  among  the  people. 

Jesus  met  the  lawyer's  cunning  query  with  a  straight- 
forward question  which  completely  foiled  the  secret  in- 
tentions of  the  crafty  ecclesiastic.  Jesus  said  to  him, 
"  What  is  written  in  the  law?  how  readest  thou?"  Then 
the  lawyer  could  not  do  otherwise  than  mention  some  of 
the  fundamental  requirements  of  the  Mosaic  code.  He 
replied,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  strength, 
and  with  all  thy  mind ;  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself." 
Jesus  said  to  him,  "Thou  hast  answered  right:  this  do, 
and  thou  shalt  live."  The  lawyer  saw  that  he  had  blun- 
dered. He  knew  that  he  could  not  lay  claim  to  having 
kept  perfectly  the  sublime  law  he  had  just  uttered.     In- 


176     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

stead  of  discrediting  Jesus  before  the  multitudes,  he  stood 
himself  discredited.  He  felt  the  need  of  justifying  him- 
self. Of  course,  he  could  hardly  claim  to  have  loved  God 
in  the  way  the  commandment  required  and  as  for  his 
neighbor — well,  there  was  some  ground  for  differences 
there.    "  Who  is  my  neighbor?"  he  said  to  Jesus. 

Then  Jesus  told  him  the  story  of  the  man  who  was  go- 
ing down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho  and  who  fell  among 
thieves  who  stripped  him  and  beat  him  and  left  him  half 
dead.  He  told  of  a  priest  who  came  along  and  who 
passed  coldly  by  the  stricken  man  although  he  saw  him 
lying  by  the  road.  He  told  of  the  Levite  who  saw  the 
man  and  stopped  to  look  at  him,  but  afterward 
passed  on  without  giving  any  assistance.  Then  Jesus 
told  of  a  Samaritan  who  saw  the  unfortunate  man  and 
had  compassion  on  him.  Turning  to  his  questioner  Jesus 
said,  "  Which  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  proved  neigh- 
bor unto  him  that  fell  among  the  robbers?"  The  lawyer 
could  hardly  say  anything  else  than,  "  He  that  showed 
mercy  on  him."  Then  Jesus  said,  "  Go,  and  do  thou  like- 
wise." 

A  Lesson  on  the  Folly  of  Selfishness.  Luke  12  :13-21. 
A  certain  man  in  one  of  the  communities  where  Jesus  was 
teaching  had  been  having  some  misunderstanding  with 
his  brother  over  the  division  of  property  which  had  be- 
longed to  their  father  or  some  other  relative.  This  man 
came  to  Jesus  saying  to  him,  "  Teacher,  bid  my  brother 
divide  the  inheritance  with  me."  Perhaps  Jesus  read 
selfishness  and  covetousness  in  the  man's  face  and  man- 
ner for  he  said  to  him,  "  Man,  who  made  me  a  judge  or 
a  divider  over  you?"  Then  he  said  to  all  who  were  pres- 
ent, "  Take  heed,  and  keep  yourselves  from  all  covetous- 
ness:  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of 
the  things  which  he  possesseth."  After  this  he  told  them 
a  story  about  a  certain  rich  man  who  had  wide  fields  and 
whose  ground  brought  forth  abundantly.  The  harvests 
of  this  rich  man  were  so  great  that  he  was  at  a  loss  how 
to  take  care  of  his  grain.  At  last  he  determined  to  tear 
down  all  his  old  granaries  and  his  old  barns  and  build 
greater  ones. 

"  Then,"  thought  this  rich  man  as  he  lay  on  his  bed  at 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     177 

night  and  planned  for  the  future,  "  then,  I  will  say  to  my 
soul.  Soul,  thou  hast  much  goods  laid  up  for  many  years ; 
take  thine  ease,  eat,  drink,  be  merry."  But  God  looking 
down  on  the  selfish  rich  man  said,  "  Thou  foolish  one, 
this  night  is  thy  soul  required  of  thee ;  and  the  things 
which  thou  hast  prepared,  whose  shall  they  be?"  "  So  is 
he,"  said  Jesus,  "  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and 
is  not  rich  toward  God." 


Thk  Lesson  Prayer 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  know  that  the  words  of  thy 
Son  are  true.  We  know  that  they  are  our  safest  guide  in 
every  time  of  perplexity.  If  we  obey  his  commandments 
we  shall  live  in  purity  and  helpfulness  all  our  days.  Give 
us  hearts  responsive  to  the  truth  which  Jesus  taught. 
Enable  us  to  understand  the  beauty  and  strength  of  the 
character  of  thy  Son.  Show  us  how  to  be  worthy  dis- 
ciples. May  we  learn  day  by  day  to  do  his  will  and  thus 
become  like  him.  We  ask  in  the  name  of  thy  Son,  our 
Saviour.    Amen. 


The  Lesson  Hymn 

Teach  me,  O  Lord,  thy  holy  way, 
And  give  me  an  obedient  mind; 

That  in  thy  service  I  may  find 

My  soul's  delight  from  day  to  day. 


Help  me,  O  Saviour,  here  to  trace 
The  sacred  footsteps  thou  hast  trod; 

And,  meekly  walking  with  my  God, 
To  grow  in  goodness,  truth,  and  grace. 

Guard  me,  O  Lord,  that  I  may  ne'er 
Forsake  the  right,  or  do  the  wrong: 

Against  temptation  make  me  strong. 

And  round  me  spread  thy  sheltering  care. 


"The  Hymnal"   (Revised),  No.  201 


178    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

WORTHY  AMBITION 
Luke  2  :49  ;  Matt.  4  :8-ll,  23  ;  28  :19,  20 

Many  people  fail  to  accomplish  anything-  really  worth 
while  in  life  because  they  are  lacking  in  ambition.  Their 
lives  do  not  get  anywhere  because  they  are  like  derelict 
vessels  drifting  with  the  winds  and  the  tides.  Ambition 
is  to  life  what  the  captain  with  his  charts  and  his  com- 
passes and  his  definite  objectives  is  to  a  vessel  sailing  the 
sea.  Two  boys  enter  a  business  firm  together.  At  the 
end  of  twenty  years  one  has  made  little  advancement.  He 
is  still  at  about  the  same  place  where  he  began.  His 
wages  are  small,  because  his  value  to  the  business  is 
small.  The  other  boy  is  now  a  partner  in  the  firm.  What 
do  you  think  has  caused  this  diiTerence?  Was  it  a  matter 
of  luck?  Not  at  all.  Was  it  due  to  a  difference  in  ability? 
No.  The  difference  is  due  to  a  difference  in  ambition. 
The  one  lad  said,  *'  I  am  not  paid  much,  so  I  will  not 
work  much."  He  watched  the  clock  and  grabbed  his  hat 
and  coat  the  minute  the  gong  sounded  announcing  the 
close  of  the  day.  He  didn't  look  ahead  and  plan  for  the 
years  to  come  because  he  was  too  busy  with  having  a 
good  time,  or  what  he  was  deluded  into  believing  was  a 
good  time,  as  he  went  along. 

The  other  lad  was  ambitious.  He  looked  ahead  and 
found  his  pleasure  in  planning  for  great  things  in  the 
future.  His  ambition  gave  him  interest  in  his  work.  He 
rose  step  by  step  from  one  position  of  responsibility  to 
another.  He  said,  "  I  must  improve  my  mind  if  I  am  to 
be  useful  in  the  world ;  I  must  keep  my  body  strong,  if 
I  am  to  do  all  that  I  hope  to  do  when  I  am  a  man." 

There  is  one  danger,  however,  connected  with  ambition. 
If  ambition  is  to  be  a  blessing  to  its  possessor  and  to  the 
world,  it  must  be  worthy.  Unworthy  ambition  has  often 
been  a  curse  and  a  scourge,  not  only  to  the  individual 
who  was  afflicted  with  it  but  to  multitudes  of  other 
people.  Napoleon  was  a  man  of  almost  unbounded  ambi- 
tions, but  his  plans  were  selfish  and  his  splendid  energy 
caused  widespread  disaster  throughout  Europe.     Had  he 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     179 

been  a  man  of  worthy  ambitions  he  might  have  been  a 
great  blessing  to  the  world.  The  World  War  was  to  a 
very  large  extent  the  result  of  selfish  and  wicked  ambi- 
tions of  men  and  nations. 

We  have  been  studying  the  life  of  Jesus  and  in  this 
lesson  we  wish  to  review  some  few  facts  of  his  career 
that  we  may  see  what  his  ambitions  were.  In  this  mat- 
ter, as  in  everything  else,  he  is  our  perfect  model. 

His  Ambitions  Had  an  Early  Beginning.  Luke  2  :49. 
We  have  seen  how  at  the  early  age  of  twelve  he  felt  the 
call  to  be  about  his  Father's  business. 

His  Ambitions  Were  Noble  and  Unselfish.  Matt.  4: 
8-11.  Satan  tried  to  trap  him  by  pointing  out  all  the  king- 
doms of  the  world  and  promising  him  personal  power  and 
highest  honor  among  men,  but  Jesus  would  not  make  his 
life  goal  a  selfish  goal.  He  had  come  to  minister,  not  to 
be  ministered  unto. 

The  Ambitions  of  Jesus  Caused  Him  to  Be  Diligent. 
Matt.  4  :23.  We  have  seen  how  ardently  Jesus  labored. 
He  preached  and  taught  throughout  all  Galilee  and  in 
Samaria  and  in  Judea  and  throughout  Perea.  He  labored 
far  into  the  night. 

The  Ambitions  of  Jesus  Made  Him  Conscious  of 
Boundless  Possibilities.  Matt.  28:19,  20.  With  only  a 
little  handful  of  followers  he  believed  that  the  gospel 
could  be  preached  to  every  creature  and  he  commanded 
them  to  begin  the  task. 

Bible:  Vkrsi-s 

Unworthy  Ambition  Reproved,  Gen.  11  :l-9.  The  Am- 
bition of  a  Great  Apostle,  Phil.  3  :8-14.  An  Appeal  for 
Worthy  Ambition  in  the  Life  of  a  Young  Man,  I  Tim. 
1 :6,  7.  Jesus'  Conception  of  Worthy  Ambition,  Luke 
12  :33,  34. 

Re:vie:w  Questions 

1.  Name  some  incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus  which 
show  his  courage. 

2.  Name  some  incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus  which 
show  his  worthy  ambition. 


180    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

3.  Name  some  incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus  which 
show  us  what  things  gave  him  joy. 

4.  Did  the  disciple  John  ever  learn  to  be  nobly  and 
unselfishly  ambitious?     See  I  John  2:15-17. 

5.  Name  some  incidents  in  the  life  of  Jesus  which 
show  his  courtesy. 

Study  Topics 

1.  The  Boyhood  Ambitions  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 

2.  The  Attitude  of  a  Worthily  Ambitious  Boy  or  Girl 
Toward  the  Matter  of  Getting  an  Education. 

3.  Is  It  Possible  for  a  Person  to  Be  Worthily  Ambi- 
tious and  at  the  Same  Time  Neglect  the  Development  of 
His  Religious  Faculties? 

Thi:  Law  of  Worthy  Ambition 

Worthy  ambition  is  essential  to  any  large  and  useful 
accomplishment  in  life.  Therefore : 

1.  We  will  live  for  something  higher  than  our  own 
selfish  desires  and  pleasures. 

2.  We  will  think  and  plan  for  future  usefulness, 
rather  than  waste  our  days  of  youth  in  shallow  thinking 
and  aimless  activities. 

3.  We  will  make  it  a  part  of  our  lifelong  ambition  to 
advance  the  Kingdom  of  God  on  earth  and  to  increase 
brotherhood  and  friendship  among  men. 


CHAPTER  XV 

NEARING  THE  END  OF  HIS  MINISTRY 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

MAKING  READY  FOR  THE  SUPREME  SACRIFICE 
Matt  26:6-13;  21:1-32 

The  village  of  Bethany  lies  in  a  secluded  spot  at  the 
northern  base  of  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Though  only  a 
few  miles  from  Jerusalem,  it  is  shut  ofif  from  a  view  of  the 
cit}^  by  the  intervening  mountain,  and  there  is  nothing 
about  the  village  to  suggest  its  nearness  to  a  large  city. 
It  was  to  this  secluded  spot  that  Jesus  often  retired  with 
his  disciples.  In  Bethany  lived  three  intimate  friends  of 
Jesus,  Mary  and  Martha  and  their  brother  Lazarus. 
Jesus  made  this  home  of  his  friends  in  the  quiet  village 
his  lodging  place  during  the  last  days  of  his  ministry. 
During  these  last  days  he  went  regularly  to  Jerusalem 
every  day  to  teach  in  the  Temple,  but  every  night  he  left 
the  city  and  came  out  to  Bethany,  to  lodge  there  until 
the  morning. 

Jesus  Anointed  by  Mary  of  Bethany.  Matt.  26:6-13. 
In  the  New  Testament  times,  it  was  the  custom  to  par- 
take of  food  while  reclining  on  couches  arranged  about 
the  table  containing  the  repast.  One  day  as  Jesus  was 
thus  eating  with  his  disciples,  Mary  came  up  to  Jesus 
and  opening  an  alabaster  flask  of  precious  perfumed  oil 
began  to  anoint  the  feet  of  Jesus.  The  value  of  the  flask 
of  oil  was  considerable.  In  purchasing  power  it  was 
equal  to  about  two  hundred  dollars  of  our  money,  a  large 
sum  for  people  comparatively  poor,  as  were  the  fishermen 
disciples  and  most  of  the  other  companions  of  Jesus. 

The  disciples  felt  that  it  was  a  needless  waste  for  Mary 
to  use  the  costly  oil  to  anoint  the  feet  of  Jesus.  Judas 
Iscariot,  whose  heart  was  continually  becoming  more  and 
more  false  to  his  Master,  was  the  leader  of  those  who 

181 


182     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

criticised  Mary  for,  as  they  thought,  wasting  the  precious 
oil.  It  might  have  been  sold  for  much,"  said  Judas, 
"  and  given  to  the  poor."  We  have  in  this  remark  of 
Judas  a  good  illustration  of  the  deceitfuhiess  of  sin.  In 
his  heart  Judas  cared  nothing  for  the  poor.  He  was 
vexed  not  because  the  oil  had  not  been  sold  and  the 
money  given  to  the  poor,  but  because  it  had  not  been  sold 
and  the  proceeds  given  to  him.  He  was  the  treasurer  of 
the  company  and  his  love  of  money  had  so  far  gotten  the 
better  of  him  that  he  was  day  by  day  embezzling  from  the 
little  store  of  money  committed  to  his  keeping. 

Yet  sin  is  such  a  deceiver  that  we  may  well  believe 
that  Judas  was  largely  unconscious  of  his  hypocrisy. 
He  felt  himself  a  much  abused  man.  He  brooded  day  by 
day  over  his  supposed  wrongs,  telling  himself  that  he  had 
given  up  everything  to  become  a  follower  of  Jesus  and 
now  he  had  gotten  nothing  at  all  in  return.  He  had  been 
made  treasurer,  but  the  disciples  and  other  members  of 
the  company  were  ignoring  him  and  his  office.  All 
moneys  expended  by  the  company  ought  to  pass  through 
his  hands  and  here  was  a  woman  throwing  away  precious 
oil  which  might  have  been  sold  for  much.  Thus  does  sin 
make  men  small  and  crooked  in  their  thinking  and  blind 
to  all  that  is  highest  and  noblest  in  life. 

It  is  the  way  of  human  nature  to  join  in  when  anyone 
begins  to  make  vigorous  criticism.  Many  people  do  not 
take  time  to  consider  whether  the  criticism  is  well 
founded  or  whether  it  is  born  of  prejudice  and  selfishness. 
It  was  so  on  this  occasion.  The  other  disciples  sided 
with  Judas  and  the  murmuring  against  Mary  grew  louder. 
The  poor  little  woman  stood  abashed  before  the  twelve 
men  who  so  evidently  condemned  her  for  what  they  re- 
garded as  a  sinful  waste.  Perhaps  Mary  had  done  the 
act  in  a  moment  of  impulse  and  was  now  uncertain  as  to 
whether  she  ought  to  have  acted  as  she  did.  Perhaps 
she  looked  with  appealing  glance  to  see  whether  Jesus, 
too,  condemned  her  for  pouring  out  the  precious  oil  on 
the  feet  of  the  Master  she  loved. 

Jesus  never  made  any  mistakes  as  to  human  motives. 
He  read  them  unerringly.  He  knew  the  motives  which 
had  led  Mary  to  anoint  his  feet.     He  knew  the  motives 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     183 

which  had  led  Judas  to  make  censorious  remarks  con- 
cerning what  Mary  had  done.  There  is  something  of 
indignation  in  the  words  of  the  Master :  "  Why  trouble 
ye  the  woman?  for  she  hath  wrought  a  good  work  upon 
me.  For  ye  have  the  poor  always  with  you ;  but  me  ye 
have  not  always.  For  in  that  she  poured  this  ointment 
upon  my  body,  she  did  it  to  prepare  me  for  burial.  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  Wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be  preached 
in  the  whole  world,  that  also  which  this  woman  hath  done 
shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial  of  her."  The  disciples 
seem  to  have  been  unable  to  realize  that  Jesus  was  soon 
to  be  taken  from  them,  but  j\Iary,  with  the  finer  sympathy 
of  her  womanly  nature,  had  understood. 

The  Triumphal  Entry.  Matt.  21 :1-11.  There  was  an 
ancient  prophecy  which  spoke  of  the  Messianic  king  com- 
ing into  Jerusalem  seated  on  an  ass's  colt.  The  hofse 
was  an  animal  of  war  in  Bible  times,  but  the  ass  was  the 
animal  of  peaceful  industry.  The  prophecy  seemed  to  in- 
dicate that  the  Messiah  would  be  a  prince  of  peace 
rather  than  a  military  hero.  The  time  had  now  come  for 
Jesus  to  let  it  be  known  that  he  regarded  himself  as  the 
Messiah.  He  did  so  in  a  manner  far  more  impressive 
than  any  mere  declaration  by  word  of  mouth.  He 
directed  his  disciples  to  secure  an  ass's  colt,  and  then  he 
came  riding  into  Jerusalem  in  the  manner  described  by 
the  prophet. 

The  people  understood  at  once  the  significance  of  this 
act  of  Jesus.  Great  crowds  gathered  about  the  Teacher 
as  he  rode.  Other  crowds  came  out  of  Jerusalem  to 
meet  him  and  the  people  who  were  with  him.  The  people 
strewed  palm  branches  and  flowers  in  the  way  and  took 
off  their  garments  and  spread  them  upon  the  roadway. 
A  great  shout  of  welcome  arose :  "  Hosanna  to  the  son 
of  David :  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord ;  Hosanna  in  the  highest." 

The  people  kept  on  shouting  as  Jesus  entered  the  gates 
and  as  he  passed  through  the  streets  to  the  Temple. 
Within  the  courts  of  the  Temple  the  older  people  seem 
to  have  ceased  their  shouting,  but  the  children  kept  right 
on  shouting,  "  Hosanna  to  the  son  of  David."  This  made 
the   priests,   Pharisees,   and   scribes   very   angry.      They 


184     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONvS 

came  to  Jesus  and  said,  ''  Hearest  thou  what  these  are 
saying?"  Jesus  answered  them,  "  Yea :  did  ye  never  read, 
Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings  thou  hast 
perfected  praise"?  He  told  them  that  if  the  children 
ceased  to  shout  welcome  to  him,  the  very  stones  of  the 
Temple  would  cry  out. 

The  Cleansing  of  the  Temple.  Matt.  21 :12-14.  After 
Jesus  had  ridden  into  the  city  and  had  entered  the 
Temple,  he  did  a  most  unexpected  thing.  Within  the 
Temple  area  were  ample  courts  where  the  people  were 
accustomed  to  gather.  One  of  the  largest  of  these  courts 
was  called  the  Court  of  the  Gentiles.  God's  gracious 
plan  was  that  the  Gentile  people  should  gather  in  this 
great  court  where  they  would  come  into  close  contact 
with  the  true  religion.  As  soon  as  a  Gentile  became  a 
believer  in  Jehovah,  he  was  allowed  to  enter  the  Court  of 
Israel  and  was  looked  upon  as  a  member  of  the  Jewish 
Church  and  the  Jewish  nation. 

But  in  the  days  of  Jesus  this  gracious  purpose  of  God 
had  been  almost  wholly  defeated  by  the  selfishness  and 
greed  of  the  Jewish  leaders.  The  Temple  courts  were 
filled,  not  with  Gentile  peoples  seeking  to  know  more 
of  the  God  of  Israel,  but  by  hucksters  and  venders  and 
money  changers.  The  people  had  to  buy  doves  and 
lambs  and  cattle  for  sacrifices  and  these  were  all  ofifered 
for  sale  inside  the  Temple  area.  Any  bird  or  animal 
ofifered  for  sacrifice  had  to  be  examined  by  a  priest  to 
see  whether  it  was  suitable  for  such  a  purpose.  This 
enabled  the  priests  to  build  up  a  huge  monopoly  and  to 
charge  exhorbitant  prices.  It  is  said  that  Annas,  the 
former  high  priest,  had  huge  dovecotes  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives  and  had  become  wealthy  through  the  sale  of  these 
birds  for  sacrificial  purposes.  This  was  especially  selfish 
and  contemptible.  God  had  provided  that  the  very  poor 
people  might  offer  as  a  sacrifice  "  a  pair  of  turtledoves, 
or  two  young  pigeons."  By  maintaining  a  monopoly  on 
these  birds  Annas  and  his  associates  had  grown  rich 
through  the  defeat  of  God's  plans  and  the  oppression  of 
the  poor. 

The  Jews  who  came  from  distant  lands  brought  with 
them  the  money  of  the  country  where  they  were  residing. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     185 

This  money  the  priests  would  not  receive  in  payment 
for  animals  and  birds  for  the  sacrifices.  It  had  to  be  ex- 
changed for  the  money  in  use  in  Judea.  So  certain  money 
changers  were  present  who  made  such  exchanges,  charg- 
ing a  good  round  sum  for  their  services. 

When  Jesus  saw  all  this  going  on  in  the  sacred  build- 
ing set  apart  for  the  worship  of  God,  he  was  filled  with 
indignation.  He  found  a  stick  somewhere  and  tied  some 
small  ropes  to  it.  Then  with  this  whip  he  fell  upon  the 
desecraters  of  the  Temple.  "  Take  these  things  hence  " 
he  cried,  "  it  is  written,  My  house  shall  be  called  a  house 
of  prayer:  but  ye  make  it  a  den  of  robbers. '*  Then  he 
took  hold  of  the  tables  of  the  money  changers  and  over- 
turned them,  scattering  their  coins  far  and  near.  He 
drove  out  the  cattle  and  their  keepers  together.  Before 
his  righteous  wrath  the  crowds  of  venders  fled  panic- 
stricken  and  soon  the  great  courts  were  empty  of  them. 

Then  a  remarkable  scene  took  place.  Into  the  vacated 
courts  came  the  blind  and  the  lame  and  Jesus  healed 
them  and  the  multitudes  gathered  about  him  and  he 
taught  them. 

Jesus'  Authority  Questioned.  Matt.  21 :23-27.  The 
next  morning  Jesus  came  again  to  the  Temple  and  taught 
the  people.  The  chief  priests  and  the  other  leaders  of 
the  Jews  had  now  had  time  to  collect  their  wits  after  the 
dramatic  events  of  the  previous  day.  They  were  afraid 
to  seize  Jesus,  but  they  came  and  demanded  by  what 
authority  he  had  done  such  things  and  who  had  given 
him  such  authority.  The  leaders  believed,  doubtless,  that 
Jesus  would  claim  authority  from  God  for  what  he  had 
done  and  thus  they  would  have  grounds  for  charging  him 
with  blasphemy.  But  Jesus  was  more  than  able  to  silence 
these  craft}^  leaders  of  the  Jewish  people.  Instead  of 
discrediting  Jesus  they  found  themselves  discredited  be- 
fore the  multitude.  Of  course  this  only  added  to  their 
hatred  and  their  determination  that  Jesus  should  be  de- 
stroyed. 

Jesus  answered  their  question  by  asking  one  in  turn. 
He  said :  "  I  also  will  ask  you  one  question,  which  if  ye 
tell  me,  I  likewise  will  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do 
these  things.    The  baptism  of  John,  Avhence  was  it?  from 


186    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

heaven  or  from  men?"  Then  the  leaders  said  among 
themselves :  "  If  we  shall  say,  From  heaven :  he  will  say 
unto  us,  Why  then  did  ye  not  believe  him?  But  if  we 
shall  say,  From  men ;  we  fear  the  multitude ;  for  all  hold 
John  as  a  prophet."  So  the  leaders  said  that  they  could 
not  answer  Jesus'  question  and  Jesus  told  them  that 
neither  would  he  answer  theirs.  But  Jesus  had  in  a 
very  real  sense  given  them  an  answer  to  their  question. 
John  had  said  of  Jesus,  "  Behold,  the  Lamb  of  God,  that 
taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world."  For  anyone  who  be- 
lieved this  message  of  John,  there  could  be  no  question 
but  that  Jesus  had  authority  to  do  what  he  had  done. 

NoTKBOOK  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook :  Christ's  Entry  Into 
Jerusalem,  by  Plockhorst  (814  Perry)  ;  Christ  Driving 
Out  the  Money  Changers,  by  Hofmann  (797?  Perry, 
page  285,  Bailey). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

EARNEST  PLEADING  AND  SOLEMN  WARNING 
Mark  13:1-12;  14:10,  11 

As  Jesus  neared  the  end  of  his  ministry  his  thoughts 
were  not  of  himself.  He  was  thinking  of  the  cause  he 
loved  and  making  every  effort  to  save  even  his  bitterest 
enemies  by  solemn  warnings  and  earnest  pleadings.  He 
was  giving  every  possible  effort  to  instructing  his  dis- 
ciples that  they  might  be  prepared  for  their  great  task 
of  taking  up  and  carrying  on  the  work  he  had  begun. 

Jesus  Weeps  Over  Jerusalem.  Luke  19  :41-44 ;  Matt. 
23  :37-39.  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  coming  into  Jeru- 
salem one  day  and,  as  they  came  along  the  road  which 
winds  over  the  Mount  of  Olives,  all  at  once  the  city  of 
Jerusalem  lay  spread  out  before  them.  There  was  the 
long,  encircling  wall  pierced  with  gates  here  and  yonder. 
On  Mount  Moriah  rose  Herod's  splendid  Temple  with 
its  marble  and  gold  glittering  in  the  sun.     There  were 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     187 

the  homes  of  the  city  of  Zion,  its  busy  streets,  and  its 
market  places.  As  Jesus  saw  the  city  and  remembered 
that  a  dreadful  doom  awaited  it  because  it  had  rejected 
the  Anointed  One  of  God,  he  wept.  What  compassion- 
ate tenderness  runs  through  his  lament  over  the  city 
which  had  been  chosen  of  God  to  enlighten  the  world 
but  which  had  chosen  rather  to  walk  in  ways  of  darkness ! 
**  If  thou  hadst  known  in  this  day,  even  thou,  the  things 
which  belong  unto  peace!  but  now  they  are  hid  from 
thine  eyes.  For  the  days  shall  come  upon  thee,  when 
thine  enemies  shall  cast  up  a  bank  about  thee,  and  com- 
pass thee  round,  and  keep  thee  in  on  every  side,  and 
shall  dash  thee  to  the  ground,  and  thy  children  within 
thee ;  and  they  shall  not  leave  in  thee  one  stone  upon 
another ;  because  thou  knewest  not  the  time  of  thy  visita- 
tion. .  .  .  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  that  killeth  the 
prophets,  and  stoneth  them  that  are  sent  unto  her !  how 
often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even 
as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye 
would  not !  Behold,  your  house  is  left  unto  you  desolate. 
For  I  say  unto  you.  Ye  shall  not  see  me  henceforth,  till 
ye  shall  say.  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord."  Thirty-five  years  or  so  later  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem and  its  splendid  Temple  were  almost  wholly  de- 
stroyed in  the  ghastly  siege  and  the  furious  assaults 
which  marked  the  closing  months  of  the  rebellion  of  the 
Jewish  people  against  the  dominion  of  Rome. 

Parables  of  Warning.  Mark  12 :1-12.  Jesus  wished 
the  Jewish  leaders  to  know  exactly  what  they  were  do- 
ing in  rejecting  him.  He  spoke  at  this  time  certain  para- 
bles which  were  such  perfect  pictures  of  God's  dealings 
with  the  chosen  people  and  of  their  selfishness  and  jeal- 
ousy in  rejecting  the  Messiah  that  they  could  not  but 
understand  what  he  meant.  They  "  perceived  "  that  he 
spoke  the  parables  **  against  them,"  and  their  rage  was 
all  the  more  increased. 

Jesus  told  them  of  a  husbandman  who  planted  a  vine- 
yard and  planted  a  hedge  about  it  and  digged  a  pit  for 
the  wine  press  and  built  a  tower.  Thus  he  had  done 
everything  necessary  for  a  successful  operation  of  the 
vineyard.    He  had  constructed  a  hedge  of  thorns  to  keep 


188     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

out  the  wild  hogs  and  other  animals  which  might  plunder 
the  vines.  He  had  digged  out  of  the  solid  rock  a  place 
for  pressing  out  the  juice  of  the  grapes.  He  had  built 
a  tower  where  the  watchman  could  overlook  the  whole 
vineyard  and  also  the  surrounding  country  and  thus 
guard  the  grapes  from  robber  bands. 

When  everything  had  been  prepared,  the  owner  of  the 
vineyard  let  it  out  to  certain  husbandmen  while  he  went 
away  into  a  distant  country.  At  the  time  of  harvest  he 
sent  one  of  his  servants  to  receive  his  portion  of  the 
fruits  of  the  vineyard.  The  husbandmen  seized  this 
servant  and  beat  him  and  sent  him  away  empty.  The 
owner  of  the  vineyard  sent  other  servants,  but  the  wicked 
husbandmen  beat  and  wounded  some ;  others  they  stoned 
and  killed. 

Now  the  owner  of  the  vineyard  had  an  only  son, 
greatly  beloved.  He  said  to  himself,  "  They  will  rever- 
ence my  son,"  so  he  sent  him  to  the  vineyard.  When 
the  husbandmen  saw  this  son  of  their  master  they  said, 
*'  This  is  the  heir ;  come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  inherit- 
ance shall  be  ours."  And  they  took  him  and  killed  him 
and  cast  him  out  of  the  vineyard.  After  Jesus  had  told 
this  story  to  the  Jewish  leaders,  they  drew  near  to  seize 
him  that  they  might  take  his  life,  but  when  they  looked 
around  they  saw  the  solid  ranks  of  the  multitudes  who 
were,  on  the  whole,  friendly  to  Jesus  and  they  did  not 
dare  to  touch  him. 

A  Sinister  Gathering  in  the  Court  of  the  High  Priest. 
Matt.  26  :3-5.  The  answer  of  the  Jewish  leaders  to  these 
parables  of  Jesus  and  to  the  wonderful  miracles  which 
he  wrought  was  a  secret  gathering  in  the  court  of  the 
high  priest  where  they  discussed  the  situation.  "  If  we 
let  him  thus  alone,"  they  said,  "  all  men  will  believe  on 
him :  and  the  Romans  will  come  and  take  away  both  our 
place  and  our  nation."  "  We  must  save  ourselves  "  was 
their  argument.  It  was  expedient  that  one  man  die 
rather  than  that  the  whole  nation  perish.  So  they  con- 
spired to  seize  Jesus  secretly  and  to  put  him  to  death  be- 
fore the  multitudes  should  know  what  was  being  done. 
From  that  time  they  redoubled  their  attempts  to  find  an 
occasion  when  they  could  safely  seize  Jesus. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     189 

The  Treachery  of  Judas.  Mark  14:10,  11.  There  was 
another  who  was  saying,  "  I  must  save  myself."  Judas 
saw  the  coming  disaster.  The  kingdom  that  he  had  ex- 
pected was  not  to  be.  On  the  other  hand,  Jesus  was  to 
be  seized  by  the  Jewish  leaders  and  delivered  to  the 
Romans.  Perhaps  Judas  had  fears  for  his  own  safety. 
Perhaps  he  wished  to  save  as  much  as  he  could  for  him- 
self out  of  what  he  regarded  as  a  hopeless  wrecking  of 
the  enterprise  upon  which  he  had  been  led  to  enter.  So 
he  reasoned,  '*  I  must  save  myself."  He  slipped  out  from 
the  little  company  as  soon  as  he  realized  that  Jesus  knew 
the  dark  designs  of  his  heart.  He  went  to  the  priests  and 
said  to  them,  "  What  are  ye  willing  to  give  me,  and  I 
will  deliver  him  unto  you?"  When  the  priests  heard, 
these  words  from  the  lips  of  one  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus, 
they  were  glad.  They  were  glad  because  they  believed 
that  at  last  they  were  about  to  seize  the  one  they  hated 
and  feared.  They  were  glad  because  it  was  one  of  the 
disciples  who  was  to  be  the  traitor  who  guided  them  to 
the  Nazarene  Teacher  in  some  midnight  hour.  They 
were  glad  to  think  that  there  was  treachery  among  the 
most  intimate  of  the  followers  of  Jesus  and  because  they 
believed  that  the  whole  movement  which  Jesus  had  in- 
augurated was  now  crumbling.  Gladness  is  no  proper 
goal  of  life ;  neither  is  it  a  measure  of  character  values. 
There  is  a  certain  gladness  which  comes  with  the  triumph 
of  evil  plans.  It  is  not  the  highest  type  of  gladness,  it  is 
true,  but  it  is  one  of  the  lower  forms.  The  chief  priest 
and  his  associates  were  glad.  Only  a  few  hours  later, 
Jesus  was  saying,  "  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  even 
unto  death."  Yet  Jesus  was  walking  the  way  of  right- 
eousness and  the  Jewish  leaders  the  way  of  wickedness. 
The  true  goal  of  life  is  duty  and  service.  We  should 
follow  these  and  let  gladness  or  sorrow  come  as  they 
may. 

So  Judas  and  the  high  priest  bargained  and  it  was 
agreed  that  Judas  was  to  receive  thirty  pieces  of  silver 
for  guiding  the  Jewish  leaders  to  Jesus  at  a  time  and  in 
a  place  where  there  would  be  no  danger  of  an  uprising 
of  the  multitudes  in  defense  of  Jesus.  Judas  now 
watched  his  chance  to  carry  out  his  part  of  the  contract. 


190    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

He  knew  quite  well  the  plans  of  Jesus  for  the  next  few 
days.  He  knew  the  habits  of  Jesus  and  the  quiet  spots 
where  he  often  went  at  night  to  pray.  So  he  thought 
out  his  plans  for  betraying  his  Teacher  into  the  hands 
of  sinful  men. 

The:  Lesson  Prayer 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  teach  us  to  know  and  love  the 
elements  of  character  which  were  so  perfectly  set  forth 
in  the  life  of  Jesus,  thy  Son.  May  we  have  something 
of  his  devotion  to  duty,  something  of  his  heroic  devotion 
to  a  great  cause,  something  of  his  patience  in  the  midst 
of  trying  circumstances.  Enable  us  to  make,  not  selfish 
pleasure,  but  unselfish  service  the  goal  of  our  lives. 
Keep  us  from  that  form  of  subtle  selfishness  which  mani- 
fests itself  in  various  efiforts  to  save  ourselves  from  dif- 
ficult tasks  and  from  the  sorrow  which  is  born  of  sympa- 
thy with  those  in  distress.  Help  us  to  establish  as  our 
life  goal,  not  personal  happiness,  but  duty  and  service. 
We  ask  in  Jesus'  name.    Amen. 

The  Lesson  Hymn 

Majestic  sweetness  sits  enthroned 

Upon  the  Saviour's  brow; 
His  head  with  radiant  glories  crowned, 

His  lips  with  grace  o'erflow. 

"The  Hymnal"   (Revised),  No.  566. 

See  "  The  Story  of  the  Hymns  and  Tunes,"  by  Brown  and 
Butterworth,  page  23. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  JOYS  OF  OUR  LORD 

John  17:13-23 

Jesus  has  been  called  "  the  man  of  sorrows."  His 
sympathies  were  so  wide  and  so  deep  that  he  entered 
into  the  sorrows  of  each  individual  person  and  into  the 
sorrows  of  the  whole  world.     He  was  moved  with  com- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     191 

passion  by  the  sight  of  a  leper  and  as  he  beheld  the  multi- 
tudes scattered  Hke  sheep  without  a  shepherd.  He  wept 
with  Mary  and  Martha  at  the  sepulcher  of  Lazarus.  In 
some  way  too  profound  for  us  to  understand  fully  he 
took  upon  himself  the  sorrows  of  humanity. 

And  yet  we  must  not  think  that  the  life  of  Jesus  was 
all  sorrow.  Indeed,  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  the 
life  of  Jesus  was  the  happiest  life  ever  lived  on  earth. 
We  find  him,  even  during  the  last  trying  days  of  his 
ministry,  speaking  of  joy,  his  joy  which  he  wished  to 
bestow  upon  his  disciples.  As  he  approached  the  hour 
of  his  death,  he  spoke  of  that  hour  as  a  time  when  he 
should  be  glorified. 

Now  there  is  no  contradiction  in  the  thought  that 
Jesus  was  a  man  of  sorrows  and  that  he  felt  joys  such 
as  but  few  others  have  ever  felt.  Both  joy  and  sorrow 
are  emotions  of  the  soul.  Their  intensity  depends  upon 
the  emotional  range  of  the  individual  soul.  A  person  who 
is  shallow  in  his  sympathies  and  incapable  of  feeling 
deep  sorrow  will  be  shallow  in  his  emotional  life  in  other 
matters.  He  will  be  incapable  of  feeling  the  more  pro- 
found joys  of  the  soul.  People  really  great  in  soul  have 
a  great  range  of  the  emotional  life ;  they  are  capable  of 
deep  sorrows  and  of  lofty  joys. 

We  know  that  the  life  of  Jesus  must  have  been  a  joy- 
ful life  because  of  what  we  know  of  the  laws  governing 
our  own  lives  in  these  matters.  From  our  own  experi- 
ences and  the  experiences  of  the  race,  we  are  able  to 
reach  the  following  conclusions  concerning  the  joys  of 
Jesus : 

1.  The  joys  of  Jesus  must  have  been  great  because  of 
his  unselfishness.  John  4 :31-34.  Most  people  learn 
sooner  or  later  that  life's  highest  joys  are  never  reached 
through  selfish  pleasure-seeking.  The  joys  reached  in 
such  a  way  are  shallow,  unsatisfying,  and  of  short  dura- 
tion. But  the  joys  which  come  to  us,  as  it  were  in- 
cidentally, when  we  are  serving  others  are  deep,  satisfy- 
ing, and  abiding.  The  life  of  Jesus  must  have  been  full 
of  joy  because  it  was  so  full  of  service. 

2.  The  joys  of  Jesus  must  have  been  great  because  of 
his  close  and  constant  fellowship  with  God,  the  Father. 


192    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

John  14 :8-10.  A  good  many  centuries  ago  one  of  the 
great  men  of  the  early  Christian  Church  said,  ''  Our  souls, 
O  God,  were  made  for  thyself  and  they  are  restless  un- 
til they  find  rest  in  thee."  When  we  feel  the  presence 
of  God  and  come  into  communion  with  him,  we  experi- 
ence one  of  tne  'highest  joys  of  which  our  souls  are  capa- 
ble. What  then  must  have  been  the  joys  of  him  who 
could  say,  "  I  and  the  Father  '^re  one." 

3.  The  joys  of  Jesus  must  have  been  great  because  of 
his  perfect  purity.  John  8  :46.  Sin  mars  the  capacity  of 
the  soul  to  experience  the  higher  joys.  The  soul  of  Jesus 
was  never  marred  by  sin.  He  never  had  to  pray  as  David 
did: 

"  Purify  me  with  hyssop,  and  I  shall  be  clean : 
Wash  me,  and  I  shall  be  whiter  than  snow. 
Make  me  to  hear  joy  and  gladness."    Ps.  51 :7,  8. 

4.  The  joys  of  Jesus  must  have  been  great  because  of 
great  accomplishments.  John  16:33.  Something  at- 
tempted and  something  done  brings  satisfaction  if  the 
thing  attempted  and  done  is  something  worthy.  Jesus 
had  undertaken  the  most  sublime  task  in  all  the  universe. 
To  most  people  it  looked  as  if  not  much  had  been 
accomplished  as  Jesus  drew  near  the  end  of  his  ministry, 
but  Jesus  knew  that  the  foundations  had  been  laid  for 
the  saving  of  the  world.  We  can  hear  in  many  of  his 
utterances  a  note  of  deep  joy  and  satisfaction.  "  Be  of 
good  cheer,"  said  he  to  his  disciples;  "I  have  overcome 
the  world." 

Bible:  Vdrsds 

Neh.  8:10;  Job  20:4,  5;  Ps.  16:11;  126:5;  Isa.  35:10; 
65:14;  Matt.  13:44;  Rom.  14:  17. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Was  it  right  for  Mary  to  use  the  precious  ointment 
to  anoint  the  feet  of  Jesus? 

2.  Why  did  Judas  become  a  traitor? 

3.  Why  did  Jesus  ride  as  he  did  into  Jerusalem? 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     193 

4.  What  qualities  of  character  did  Jesus  manifest 
when  he  drove  the  money  changers  out  of  the  Temple? 

5.  What  events  show  us  that  Jesus  was  not  thinking 
of  himself  during  the  last  days  of  his  ministry? 

6.  Why  did  the  high  priest  and  his  associates  think 
it  necessary  to  destroy  Jesus? 

7.  It  has  been  said  that  **  self-preservation  is  the  first 
law  of  nature  " ;  are  there  times  when  the  true  follower 
of  Jesus  must  disregard  this  law? 

8.  Why  did  Jesus  praise  the  poor  widow  who  cast 
only  two  mites  into  the  treasury? 

9.  How  do  we  know  that  Jesus  lived  a  happy  life? 

10.  Could  Jesus  be  "a  man  of  sorrows"  and  at  the 
same  time  live  a  life  in  which  there  were  great  and  abid- 
ing joys? 

Study  Topics 

1.  What  We  Know  of  the  Joys  of  Heaven.  Luke 
15:10;  Rev.  21:1-4. 

2.  The  Joy  of  John  the  Baptist  at  the  Success  of 
Jesus.     John  3  :22-30. 

3.  The  Greatest  Joy  of  a  Great  Disciple.  HI  John 
1-4. 

4.  A  Joyful  Salvation  of  the  World  as  the  Goal  of 
Jesus'  Life.    Heb.  12  :2. 

Committee  Work 

Have  a  committee  report  on  the  following  problems: 

1.  How  do  the  young  people  of  our  community  find 
their  highest  pleasures? 

2.  Are  the  young  people  of  our  community  finding  the 
highest  pleasures  possible  for  them  at  their  period  of  life? 

3.  Are  the  forms  of  recreation  open  to  young  people 
in  our  community  wholesome  and  helpful? 

4.  What  can  we  do  to  help  other  young  people  of  this 
community  to  find  the  way  of  duty  and  service? 


194    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOE  EESSONS 

The:  Law  oj?  Happiness 

True  happiness  is  not  found  through  selfish  pleasure- 
seeking.     Therefore : 

1.  We  will  try  to  make  others  happy  rather  than  spend 
our  time  and  efforts  seeking  pleasure  for  ourselves. 

2.  We  will  try  to  make  duty  and  service  rather  than 
pleasure  the  goal  of  our  lives. 

3.  We  will  try  to  cultivate  a  wide  and  deep  sympathy 
with  all  classes  of  people,  rejoicing  with  those  who  re- 
joice and  weeping  with  those  who  weep. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE  UPPER  ROOM  AND  THE  GARDEN  OF 

GETHSEMANE 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS'  FAREWELL  MEETING  WITH  HIS  DISCIPLES 
Matt.  26:17-35;  John,  chs.  13  to  17 

The  passover  was  one  of  the  greatest  of  Jewish 
festivals.  It  commemorated  that  last  night  which  the 
Israelites  spent  in  Egypt  when  the  angel  of  death  went 
abroad  throughout  the  land  and  smote  the  first-born  in 
every  Egyptian  home  but  passed  over  the  homes  of  the 
Israelites  when  he  saw  the  blood-sprinkled  doorposts. 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  now  made  ready  for  the  keeping 
of  the  passover.  The  disciples  were  directed  by  their 
Master  to  a  certain  house  in  Jerusalem  where  they  would 
find  a  large  upper  room  made  ready  for  them.  Here 
Jesus  and  his  disciples  gathered  for  their  last  meeting  be- 
fore Jesus  was  to  sufifer  for  the  redemption  of  the  world. 

Jesus  Washes  the  Disciples'  Feet.  John  13:1-11.  In 
New  Testament  times  it  was  customary  for  a  host  to 
have  one  of  the  servants  of  the  household  wash  the  feet 
of  guests  as  soon  as  they  entered  his  house.  If  there  were 
no  servants  in  the  house,  the  host  performed  this  act  of 
courtesy  himself.  It  is  likely  that  the  disciples  followed 
this  custom.  Probably  they  took  turns  in  acting  as  the 
host.  On  the  occasion  of  this  last  meeting  with  his  dis- 
ciples Jesus  himself  acted  as  the  host.  John  says  of 
Jesus  that  "  knowing  that  his  hour  was  come  that  he 
should  depart  out  of  this  world  unto  the  Father,  having 
loved  his  own  that  were  in  the  world,  he  loved  them  unto 
the  end." 

Jesus  sought  to  give  his  disciples  one  last  and  impres- 
sive object  lesson   in  humble,   loving  service.     He  laid 

195 


196     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

aside  his  outer  garments,  took  a  towel  and  girded  him- 
self after  the  fashion  of  a  slave,  and  began  to  wash  the 
disciples'  feet.  When  he  came  to  Peter,  that  impulsive 
disciple  said,  "Lord,  dost  thou  wash  my  feet?"  Jesus 
replied  quietly  that  although  Peter  did  not  understand 
the  significance  of  this  act  now,  he  would  come  to  under- 
stand it  later.  But  Peter  declared,  "  Thou  shalt  never 
wash  my  feet."  When  Jesus  told  him,  however,  that  no 
one  could  have  part  with  him  unless  he  were  washed  of 
the  Christ,  Peter,  after  his  impulsive  fashion,  changed  his 
attitude  completely.  "  Lord,  not  my  feet  only,  but  also 
my  hands  and  my  head,"  he  said.  Then  Jesus  explained 
once  more  the  great  principle  of  service  which  was  to  be 
the  fundamental  law  among  his  followers. 

Farewell  Conversations  with  His  Disciples.  John,  chs. 
13  to  16.  Much  of  the  time  during  the  last  months  of  the 
ministry  of  Jesus  had  been  spent  in  conversation  with 
his  disciples.  In  the  upper  room  where  they  had  gath- 
ered for  the  passover  festival,  Jesus  and  his  disciples 
spent  the  hours  from  early  evening  to  near  midnight. 
Some  of  the  things  which  Jesus  said  to  his  followers 
have  been  recorded  in  the  Gospel  of  John.  Jesus  was 
anxious  about  the  little  band  he  was  leaving  behind.  He 
knew  the  sorrows  they  were  about  to  meet.  He  tried  to 
comfort  them  by  saying,  "  Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled : 
believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me."  He  told  them  that  he 
was  going  away  for  only  a  little  while  and  that  he  would 
be  preparing  a  place  for  them  in  the  mansions  of  the 
Father  in  heaven.  He  told  them  of  the  Holy  Spirit  who 
was  to  come  into  the  world  as  their  Helper  and  Com- 
forter. 

Jesus  knew  that  his  disciples  would  succeed  in  their 
great  task  only  as  they  trusted  in  him  as  their  Lord  and 
Leader.  He  told  them  that  they  could  no  more  be 
spiritually  fruitful  without  him  than  a  branch  of  a  vine 
could  be  fruitful  after  it  was  cut  ofif  and  withered 
in  the  sun.  He  urged  them  to  love  one  another.  He  told 
them  of  coming  persecutions  and  that  in  these  times  of 
afifliction  they  should  remember  that  he  had  sufifered 
persecution  before  them.  He  told  them  that  there  were 
many   things   yet   for   them   to   learn    and   these   things 


J.  Mathauseb 


CHRIST  IN  GETHSEMANE 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     197 

would  be  revealed  to  them  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  gave 
them  a  rule  whereby  they  could  test  every  new  doctrine. 
If  it  were  the  teaching  of  the  Spirit,  the  doctrine  would 
be  in  harmony  with  what  he  had  said  and  done,  it 
would  glorify  him.  These  rules  are  still  our  best  guide 
in  determining  the  truth  of  new  doctrines.  If  they  are 
in  harmony  with  the  teachings  of  Jesus  and  grow  evi- 
dently out  of  his  life  and  his  words,  and  if  they  honor 
Jesus  as  Christ  and  Lord,  we  have  grounds  for  believing 
that  they  are  the  teachings  of  the  Helper  whom  Jesus 
foresaw  and  who  is  now  in  the  world  guiding  the  Church 
into  all  the  truth. 

A  Wonderful  Prayer.  John,  ch.  17.  Jesus  closed  this 
conversation  with  his  disciples  with  a  prayer,  beautiful 
and  sublime.  Lifting  up  his  eyes  to  heaven  he  said, 
*'  Father,  the  hour  is  come ;  glorify  thy  Son,  that  the  Son 
may  glorify  thee."  The  hour,  of  which  he  spoke  was  the 
time  of  his  suffering  and  death,  but  Jesus  believed  that 
through  this  way  of  self-sacrifice  he  would  glorify  God. 
Jesus  prayed  for  his  disciples,  that  they  might  be  kept 
from  the  evil  of  the  world  and  that  they  might  be  bound 
into  unity  by  love.  He  prayed  not  only  for  his  disciples 
but  for  all  who  should  be  led  to  believe  on  him  through 
the  words  of  the  disciples.  Thus  he  prayed  for  his  fol- 
lowers of  all  the  centuries,  for  they  have  all  become  be- 
lievers in  Jesus  through  the  testimony  of  the  disciples. 

The  Lord's  Supper.  Matt.  26  :26-30.  As  Jesus  and  his 
disciples  Avere  eating  the  passover  meal,  he  talked  quietly 
with  them.  He  said  that  he  had  looked  forward  with 
longing  to  this  last  meal  with  them.  Then  he  instituted  a 
service  which  was  to  be  observed  by  his  followers  until 
the  end  of  the  world.  He  took  bread  and  blessed  it  and 
breaking  it  gave  some  to  each  of  his  disciples.  He  said, 
"  Take,  eat ;  this  is  my  body."  Then  he  took  a  cup  and 
after  giving  thanks  to  God  he  passed  it  to  his  disciples 
saying:  "  Drink  ye  all  of  it;  for  this  is  my  blood  of  the 
covenant,  which  is  poured  out  for  many  unto  remis- 
sion of  sins.  But  I  say  unto  you,  I  shall  not  drink  hence- 
forth of  this  fruit  of  the  vine,  until  that  day  when  I 
drink  it  new  with  you  in  my  Father's  Kingdom."  Then 
they  sang  a  hymn  together.    After  singing  the  hymn,  they 


198    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

left   the   upper  room   and   made   their   way   toward   the 
Mount  of  Olives. 

On  the  Way  to  the  Mount  of  Olives.  Matt.  26  :31-35. 
As  Jesus  crossed  the  valley  of  Kidron,  which  separates 
Jerusalem  from  the  Mount  of  Olives,  he  continued  his 
conversation  with  his  disciples.  He  told  them  that  in  a 
little  while,  that  very  night  in  fact,  they  would  all  leave 
him  and  flee  for  their  lives,  that  the  sheep  would  be  scat- 
tered and  the  shepherd  smitten  as  one  of  the  Hebrew 
prophets  had  foretold.  *'  But,"  said  Jesus,  "  after  I  am 
raised  up,  I  will  go  before  you  into  Galilee."  Peter,  ever 
the  first  to  speak,  declared  that  even  if  all  the  others 
should  foresake  Jesus,  he  would  never  leave  him,  but 
would  stand  by  him  and  die  at  his  side.  Jesus  told  his 
overconfident  disciple  that  ere  the  cock  should  crow  he 
would  thrice  deny  his  Master  and  Leader.  Peter  still  in- 
sisted, however,  that  even  if  he  had  to  die  with  Jesus,  he 
would  never  deny  him.  All  the  other  disciples  said  the 
same  thing. 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  The  Last  Supper, 
by  Da  Vinci  (280  Perry,  page  301,  Bailey)  ;  Christ  in 
Gethsemane,  by  Hofmann  (797U  Perry,  page  311, 
Bailey)  ;  Jesus  Washes  the  Disciples'  Feet,  by  F.  M. 
Brown  (133  Wilde). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

ALONE  IN  THE  GARDEN 

Matt.  26:36-56 

We  have  seen  how  Jesus  at  times  of  stress  withdrew 
at  night  into  secluded  places  for  prayer.  He  spent  a 
whole  night  in  prayer  before  he  chose  his  disciples.  He 
went  out  among  the  hills  to  pray  at  night  when  the  multi- 
tudes were  plotting  to  make  him  king  by  force.  Before 
telling  his   disciples   of  his  approaching  sufferings  and 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOE  LESSONS     199 

death,  he  sought  the  solitudes  of  Mount  Hermon  where 
he  could  be  alone  with  God. 

So  we  are  not  surprised  to  find  that  after  the  meeting 
in  the  upper  room  Jesus  left  the  city  of  Jerusalem  and 
sought  the  quiet  of  a  garden  on  the  slopes  of  the  Mount 
of  Olives.  This  garden  was  called  Gethsemane.  It  was 
an  Oriental  garden,  that  it,  it  was  full  of  gnarled  olive 
trees  and  shady  nooks,  and  was  more  like  a  small  natural 
park  than  like  a  modern  flower  garden. 

The  Supreme  Struggle.  Matt.  26  :36-46.  As  he  entered 
the  Garden  of  Gethsemane,  Jesus  left  behind  all  but  three 
of  his  disciples.  He  took  with  him  Peter  and  James  and 
John,  the  three  who  had  been  with  him  when  he  raised 
the  little  daughter  of  Jairus  and  who  had  witnessed  his 
transfiguration.  The  time  for  the  supreme  struggle  in 
the  life  of  Jesus  had  come.  With  infinite  power  in  his 
hands,  would  he  submit  to  a  cruel  and  shameful  death? 
He  wished  to  be  alone  with  God  as  he  battled  for  a 
final  decision,  yet  he  longed  to  feel  the  nearness  of  human 
fellowship,  so  he  chose  these  three  of  his  disciples  who 
understood  him  best  and  asked  them  to  remain  near  him. 
"  My  soul  is  exceedingly  sorrowful,"  said  Jesus,  "  even 
unto  death :  abide  ye  here,  and  watch  with  me."  Then 
he  went  on  a  little  farther  and  fell  on  his  face,  asking 
God  to  take  a^vay  the  cup  he  was  about  to  drink  if  it 
were  possible  for  him  to  do  so.  But  he  added,  *'  Never- 
theless, not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt." 

We  cannot  expect  to  understand  all  about  this  mysteri- 
ous sorrow  and  this  terrific  struggle  through  which  Jesus 
passed  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane.  It  is  not  reason- 
able to  believe  that  it  was  due  to  the  dread  of  suffering 
and  death,  though  we  should  remember  that  death  to 
Jesus  must  have  been  a  different  experience  from  what  it 
is  to  other  people.  He  was  the  Prince  of  Life  and  in  him 
Life  itself  was  submitting  to  the  sway  of  the  enemy  of 
Life.  Those  who  have  thought  most  deeply  on  the  sub- 
ject believe  that  in  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  Jesus  bore, 
in  some  mysterious  way,  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  that 
there  he  bore  our  griefs  and  "  carried  our  sorrows  "  and 
that  there  his  soul  was  made  "  an  offering  for  sin."  Such 
a  substitution,  in  which  the  innocent  suffers  in  the  place 


200     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

of  the  guilty  and  pays  the  price  of  other  people's  sins, 
is  not  thinkable  if  Jesus  was  only  a  man  like  other  men, 
but  if  we  believe  that  he  was  God  the  case  is  entirely 
different. 

The  Sleeping  Disciples.  Twice  Jesus  came  back  to  his 
disciples  and  each  time  he  found  them  sleeping.  He 
gently  admonished  them  to  watch  and  pray  lest  they 
enter  into  temptation.  He  reproved  them  kindly  for  not 
being  able  to  watch  with  him  for  even  one  hour,  but 
even  in  his  reproof  he  gave  evidences  of  his  tender  com- 
passion for  them.  I-Ie  said  of  them,  "  The  spirit  indeed 
is  willing,  but  the  flesh  it  weak."  When  Jesus  came  to 
his  disciples  the  third  time  he  said  to  them,  "  Sleep  on 
now,  and  take  your  rest."  But  even  as  he  spoke  the 
sound  of  many  trampling  feet  was  heard  and  a  throng 
of  people  came  pushing  into  the  Garden.  So  Jesus  added 
to  his  words  the  command,  "  Arise,  let  us  be  going :  be- 
hold, he  is  at  hand  that  betrayeth  me." 

The  Calmness  of  Perfect  Victory.  Jesus  had  won  a 
final  triumph  in  his  struggle  alone  in  the  Garden.  From 
this  time  forth  he  was  calm  and  strong.  Had  it  been  only 
the  fear  of  suffering  and  death  which  caused  his  soul 
to  be  exceeding  sorrowful,  we  should  expect  him  to  re- 
coil in  terror  as  he  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  end, 
but  such  was  not  the  case  and  therefore  we  believe  that 
his  struggle  in  the  Garden  was  not  a  struggle  with  the 
fear  and  dread  of  death. 

Judas  and  the  Night  Crowd  of  Jerusalem.  Matt.  26  :47- 
56.  It  was  a  motely  mob  which  Judas  led  into  the  Garden. 
They  were  armed  with  swords  and  staves  and  carried 
lanterns,  although  it  must  have  been  quite  light  since 
it  was  the  time  of  full  moon.  The  crowd  was  made  up 
for  the  most  part  of  the  night  revelers  of  Jerusalem,  the 
low  and  criminal  portion  of  society  so  much  in  evidence 
in  the  midnight  hours  of  our  large  cities  ancient  and 
modern.  The  servants  of  the  chief  priest  were  there 
and  possibly  some  of  the  Jewish  leaders  themselves. 
These  proud  aristocrats  of  the  Jewish  nation  were  glad 
to  make  an  unholy  alliance  with  the  lowest  elements  of 
society,  if  thereby  they  could  bring  the  man  they  hated 
and  feared  to  destruction. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     201 

Judas  had  told  the  leaders  of  the  mob  that  he  would 
indicate  which  man  in  the  Garden  was  Jesus  by  going 
up  to  him  and  kissing-  him.  Judas  had  been  quite  sure 
that  he  could  find  Jesus  in  this  garden  for  he  was 
familiar  with  the  habits  of  Jesus  and  knew  the  places 
where  he  went  at  night  to  pray.  So  Judas  came  to  Jesus 
and  saying,  "  Hail,  Rabbi,"  he  kissed  him. 

Peter  had  meant  every  word  when  he  said  he  was  will- 
ing to  die  for  Jesus  and  he  tried  to  carry  out  his  promise. 
He  drew  his  sword  and,  slashing  out  at  those  who  were 
seizing  Jesus,  he  struck  the  servant  of  the  high  priest 
and  cut  off  his  ear.  It  was  a  perilous  moment  for  a  fight 
had  thus  begun  Avhich  might  have  resulted  in  a  terrible 
struggle  there  among  the  olive  trees.  But  Jesus  was, 
as  ever,  IMaster  of  the  occasion.  He  firmly  commanded 
Peter  to  put  up  his  sword.  Then  he  told  the  leaders  of 
the  mob  that  he  was  ready  to  go  with  them,  but  that 
they  should  let  his  disciples  go  their  way. 

The  Scattered  Sheep.  So  the  leaders  of  the  mob  bound 
Jesus  and  led  him  awa}^  Since  he  was  not  permitted  to 
fight  with  the  sword  in  the  defense  of  Jesus,  Peter,  like 
the  other  disciples,  turned  and  fled  from  the  Garden,  while 
those  who  had  seized  Jesus  led  him  away  into  the  city 
of  Jerusalem. 


The:  Lhsson  Prayer 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  believe  that  Jesus  was  thy 
Son  and  that  he  came  into  the  world  to  be  the  Saviour  of 
all  those  who  accept  him  and  love  him.  We  believe  that 
he  taught  lessons  of  eternal  truth.  We  believe  that  he 
gave  his  life  to  save  the  world.  We  believe  that  he  is 
in  the  world  to-day  and  that  he  will  build  a  Kingdom 
of  justice  and  righteousness  and  brotherhood  which  will 
stand  forever.  Enable  us  to  have  full  faith  in  him,  and 
unwavering  loyalty  to  him.  Give  us  grace  to  labor  with 
him  for  the  good  of  humanity  and  for  the  Kingdom  of 
God  on  earth.  Give  us  his  spirit  in  larger  and  larger 
measure  so  that  we  may  become  more  and  more  courage- 
ous in  defense  of  the  right.    We  ask  in  his  name,    x^men. 


202     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOIy  LESSONS 

The  Lesson  Hymn 

# 
*Tis  midnight;  and  on  Olive's  brow 

The  star  is  dimmed  that  lately  shone: 
*Tis  midnight;  in  the  garden  now 
The  suffering  Saviour  prays  alone. 

*Tis  midnight;  and,  from  all  removed, 
Emmanuel  wrestles  lone  with  fears: 

E'en  the  disciples  that  he  loved 

Heeds  not  his  Master's  grief  and  tears. 

'Tis  midnight;  and  for  other's  guilt, 
The  Man  of  Sorrows  weeps  in  blood: 

Yet  he  that  hath  in  anguish  knelt 
Is  not  forsaken  by  his  God. 

*Tis    midnight;    from    the    heavenly    plains 
Is  borne  the  song  that  angels  know: 

Unheard  by  mortals  are  the  strains 

That  sweetly  soothe  the  Saviour's  woe. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),   No.  224. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  SIGNIFICANCE  OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER 
I  Cor.  11 :17-34 

We  have  just  been  studying  the  events  connected  with 
the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  This  will  be  a 
fitting  time,  therefore,  for  us  to  consider  the  significance 
of  this  religious  service  v^hich  w^as  begun  by  Jesus  and 
his  disciples,  and  which  because  of  the  direct  command- 
ments of  the  Christ  has  been  observed  by  the  Christian 
Church  during  all  the  centuries  of  its  existence.  Every 
Christian  should  know  what  the  Lord's  Supper  means 
so  that  he  can  take  part  in  the  sacrament  intelligently 
and  receive  help  from  it. 

1.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  memorial  service.  We  have 
different  ways  of  calling  to  mind  great  events  and  the 
people  connected  with  them.  Sometimes  we  erect  marble 
statues  as  memorials.  Sometimes  we  construct  great 
buildings  that  serve   some  useful  purpose  and  we  call 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     203 

them  memorial  halls.  Sometimes  we  set  apart  a  day  as 
a  memorial  day  and  keep  it  with  appropriate  observances. 
Jesus  instituted  the  Lord's  Supper  as  a  memorial  of  him- 
self. He  said,  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  Yet 
it  was  not  merely  a  desire  for  personal  remembrance 
that  prompted  Jesus  to  command  that  this  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  be  observed  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
He  knew  that  the  safety  and  success  of  his  disciples  in 
the  trying  times  just  ahead  depended  on  whether  or  not 
they  remembered  him.  Jesus  had  in  view  also  his  fol- 
lowers in  all  the  centuries.  He  knew  that  they  would 
be  spiritually  safe  and  strong  if  they  remembered  him  al- 
ways. So  one  of  the  great  purposes  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
is  to  call  to  our  minds  the  life  and  the  teachings,  and 
especially  the  death,  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  ought  to  make 
preparation  for  each  communion  service  by  reading  the 
Gospel  narratives  which  tell  us  about  Jesus  and  by  care- 
ful and  prayerful  thought  concerning  him. 

2.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  fellowship  service.  As 
Christian  believers  gather  at  this  service  and  partake  of 
the  bread  and  the  wine,  they  are  proclaiming  to  the  world 
that  they  are  all  one  family,  that  God  is  their  Father  and 
that  Christ  is  their  Elder  Brother.  This  is  such  an  im- 
portant matter  that  we  ought  to  cast  all  enmity  toward 
our  fellow  men  out  of  our  hearts  before  coming  to  the 
Communion.  Jesus  told  the  people  of  his  day  that  if  any 
man  were  offering  a  sacrifice  on  God's  altar  and  remem- 
bered that  some  brother  had  something  against  him,  he 
ought  to  leave  his  sacrifice  and  go  to  his  brother  and 
effect  a  recgnciliation,  and  then  come  and  offer  his  sac- 
rifice. The  Lord's  Supper  is  our  supreme  act  of  worship, 
just  as  the  offering  of  a  sacrifice  was  the  supreme  act  of 
worship  among  the  Jews,  and  we  must  have  our  hearts 
full  of  good  will  to  men  if  our  worship  is  to  be  accepta- 
ble to  God. 

3.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  symbolic  service.  Any  ob- 
ject or  act  is  called  symbolic  when  it  is  intended  to  rep- 
resent and  explain  some  truth,  or  organization.  Thus, 
the  cross  has  become  the  symbol  of  some  of  the  great 
truths  of  Christianity  and  the  sign  of  the  Christian 
Church.    The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  symbol  of  some  of  the 


204     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

most  profound  truths  of  the  Christian  religion.  It  means 
that  we  are  dependent  upon  Christ  for  spiritual  life,  just 
as  we  are  dependent  upon  food  and  drink  for  physical 
life.  It  means  that  in  some  way,  too  deep  for  us  to  under- 
stand fully,  the  death  of  Jesus,  the  breaking-  of  his  body 
and  the  shedding  of  his  blood,  made  it  possible  for  us  to 
have  eternal  life. 

BiBLK  Versus 
John  6:35;  Acts  2:46;  Matt.  26:26-30;  Luke  22:14-20; 
Matt.  5:23,  24;  John  6:51,  63. 

Review  Questions 

1.  Name  some  of  the  subjects  on  which  Jesus  talked 
with  his  disciples  in  the  upper  room. 

2.  Why  did  Jesus  institute  the  Lord's  Supper? 

3.  How  ought  a  Christian  to  prepare  for  the  Lord's 
Supper? 

4.  AVhat  truths  are  symbolized  in  the  Lord's  Supper? 

5.  What  did  Paul  mean  when  he  wrote  to  the 
Corinthians  that  it  was  not  possible  for  them  to  eat  the 
Lord's  Supper?    I  Cor.  11:20. 

6.  What  warning  did  Paul  give  concerning  the  man- 
ner in  which  we  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper?  I  Cor. 
11 :27. 

7.  The  Lord's  Supper  is  a  symbol  of  the  unity  of  be- 
lievers in  Christ.  Why  then  is  it  impossible  for  us  really 
to  partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper  if  we  have  in  our  hearts 
ill  will  toward  our  fellow  Christians? 

8.  Name  some  of  the  object  lessons  of  Jesus. 

9.  Acts  2  :42  is  a  brief  statement  of  spiritual  condi- 
tions in  the  early  Christian  Church.  What  four  charac- 
teristics of  the  Christians  of  that  day  are  mentioned,  and 
why  is  each  important? 

10.  Why  did  Jesus  command  his  followers  to  observe 
the  Lord's  Supper  until  the  end  of  the  world? 

Study  Topics 
1.     The   Person   and  Work  of   the   Comforter  as   Set 
Forth  by  Jesus.    John  14:16-18. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     205 

2.  Read  Luke  22  :28  and  Tell  of  the  Dififerent  Times 
When  Jesus  Was  Tempted. 

3.  Find  as  Many  Words  and  Acts  of  Jesus  as  You 
Can  Which  Show  His  Love  for  His  Disciples. 


TriK  Law  oi^  Reverence^  for  the  Services  oe 
THE  Church 

Paul  reproved  the  Corinthians  for  irreverence  at  the 
communion  service,  and  both  the  words  and  the  acts  of 
Jesus  teach  us  that  we  ought  to  reverence  the  church  as 
God's  house.  Jesus  at  twelve  years  of  age  spoke  of  the 
Temple  as  his  Father's  house,  and  when  he  was  a  man 
he  drove  out  those  who  made  the  Temple  a  place  of 
trade  and  money-making.    Therefore: 

1.  We  will  honor  the  church  building  as  a  place  set 
apart  for  the  worship  of  God. 

2.  We  will  honor  the  church  services  by  being  quiet, 
thoughtful,  and  reverent  in  the  house  of  God. 

3.  We  will  honor  the  work  of  the  Church,  knowing 
that  its  mission  is  of  supreme  importance  to  the  welfare 
of  humanity  and  the  glory  of  God. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

DELIVERED  INTO  THE  HANDS  OF  SINFUL 
MEN 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

JESUS  ON  TRIAL  FOR  HIS  LIFE 

John  18:12-27;  Mark  14:53-73;  Matt.  27:3-10; 
Luke  23  :5-16 

There  were  so  many  irregularities  and  illegal  proceed- 
ings in  the  seizure  and  the  so-called  "  trial  "  of  Jesus 
that  we  are  hardly  justified  in  speaking  of  a  trial  at  all, 
in  his  case.  It  was  more  an  act,  or  series  of  acts,  of  mob 
violence  than  an  orderly  legal  procedure,  through  which 
Jesus  was  seized  and  put  to  death.  As  we  read  the  narra- 
tives we  are  impressed  with  the  extreme  haste  which 
characterized  the  whole  matter.  Seized  at  about  mid- 
night Jesus  was  rushed  from  one  court  to  another,  with 
no  opportunity  to  summon  witnesses  in  his  defense.  Be- 
fore many  people  knew  what  was  taking  place  Jesus  was 
condemned  and  crucified.  Such  proceedings  were  as  il- 
legal in  that  day  as  they  are  in  our  own  times.  Fear  lest 
the  multitudes  should  interfere  led  the  Jewish  leaders  to 
trample  over  the  laws  in  a  most  ruthless  manner  and  their 
ultimate  victory  was  due  to  a  triumph  of  mob  violence. 

The  Examination  Before  Annas.  John  18  :12-27.  Hay- 
ing seized  Jesus  and  bound  him,  the  officers  and  their 
followers  led  him  away  to  the  house  of  a  certain  rnan 
named  Annas  who  was  the  father-in-law  of  the  high 
priest,  Caiaphas.  It  was  in  no  sense  a  legal  court  before 
which  Jesus  thus  first  appeared.  There  was  no  charge 
brought  against  him  and  no  witnesses  were  examined. 
The  high  priest  asked  Jesus  about  his  disciples  and  his 
teaching.  It  is  evident  that  the  whole  intent  of  this 
first  examination  was  to  secure  grounds  for  a  charge 
against  Jesus  when  he  should  be  brought  before  the  regu- 

206 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     207 

lar  Jewish  court,  called  the  sanhedrin.  The  Jewish  lead- 
ers evidently  believed  that  they  could  lead  Jesus  to  make 
some  statement  which  could  be  used  against  him  as  a 
charge  of  heresy  and  blasphemy. 

Jesus  was  aware  of  his  legal  rights  and  he  appealed  to 
justice  and  legal  procedure.  He  asked  why  he  was  ques- 
tioned in  this  irregular  way.  He  had  taught  openly 
and  in  the  Temple.  There  were  thousands  of  people  who 
had  heard  his  teachings;  why  had  not  some  of  these 
people  been  summoned  as  witnesses?  In  answer  to  this 
courageous  and  perfectly  fair  question,  a  brutal  officer 
struck  Jesus,  saying,  "  Answerest  thou  the  high  priest 
so?''  The  act  was  one  of  lawless  violence.  Jesus  was 
uncondemned,  indeed,  there  was  not  even  a  charge 
against  him.  He  had  spoken  only  the  truth  and  what 
he  had  a  right  to  say,  but  the  only  answer  was  a  blow. 
"  If  I  have  spoken  evil,"  said  Jesus,  "  bear  witness  of  the 
evil:  but  if  well,  why  smitest  thou  me?"  The  Jewish 
leaders  saw  that  there  was  no  likelihood  that  their  plan 
would  succeed.  They  would  not  be  able  to  entrap  Jesus 
in  his  utterances,  and  the  circumstances  demanded  haste. 
So  Jesus  was  led  away  to  Caiaphas  where  the  sanhedrin 
had  hastily  assembled. 

The  Trial  Before  the  Sanhedrin.  Mark  14 :53-65.  The 
trial  of  Jesus  before  the  sanhedrin  was  a  scene  of  ap- 
palling injustice  and  brutality.  The  elders  and  the  chief 
priest  and  the  scribes  were  there.  Jesus  was  given  no 
opportunity  to  summon  witnesses  in  his  defense.  Even 
without  such  witnesses  the  utter  groundlessness  of  the 
charges  against  Jesus  soon  became  apparent  through  the 
testimony  of  those  who  had  been  summoned  as  witnesses 
against  him.  Some  of  the  witnesses  had  doubtless  been 
bribed  to  bear  false  testimony,  but  even  so  there  was  no 
agreement  in  their  stories  as  to  what  Jesus  had  said, 
lender  the  Jewish  law  a  prisoner  could  not  be  condemned 
except  upon  the  harmonious  testimony  of  at  least  two 
witnesses.  No  such  testimony  was  put  forth  in  the  trial 
of  Jesus  before  the  sanhedrin.  Again  the  effort  was  made 
to  compel  Jesus  to  utter  some  statement  which  would 
incriminate  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  court.  The  high  priest 
said  to  him,  "  Answerest  thou  nothing?  what  is  it  which 


208     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  'SCHOOE  LESSONS 

these  witness  against  thee?"  But  no  charge  had  been 
established  by  the  testimony  given,  so  Jesus  answered 
not  a  word.  The  high  priest  and  his  associates  were  in 
a  desperate  situation.  The  testimony  of  the  witnesses 
on  whom  they  had  depended  had  amounted  to  nothing, 
except  to  make  manifest  the  groundlessness  of  any 
charges  which  might  be  brough  forth  against  Jesus.  The 
time  was  passing  and  soon  the  streets  would  be  filled 
with  the  multitudes  who  were  in  Jerusalem  for  the  pass- 
over.  Jesus  had  so  many  friends  among  the  people  that 
the  high  priest  and  his  associates  shuddered  with  dread 
to  think  of  what  might  happen  should  it  become  widely 
known  that  Jesus  was  on  trial  for  his  life. 

The  high  priest  had  one  last  resource.  It  was  a  means 
utterly  contrary  to  Jewish  law,  but  Caiaphas  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  use  it.  He  saw  a  way  to  compel  Jesus  to  make 
an  utterance  which  would  serve  as  grounds  for  a  charge 
of  blasphemy.  He  put  Jesus  under  solemn  oath  when 
he  said  to  him,  "  I  adjure  thee  by  the  living  God,  that 
thou  tell  us  whether  thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God." 
Jesus  could  now  no  longer  keep  silence,  even  though  he 
knew  that  his  words  sealed  his  fate.  To  keep  silence 
when  such  a  question  was  put  to  him  in  the  form  of  an 
oath  would  have  been  equivalent  to  a  denial.  The  crafty 
high  priest  knew  this  and  he  was  confident  that  Jesus 
would  meet  his  query  with  a  straightforward  answer. 
Jesus  answered,  "  Thou  hast  said,"  which  meant,  "  I  am 
the  Christ,  the  Son  of  God."  Then  he  added,  "  Neverthe- 
less I  say  unto  you,  Henceforth  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of 
man  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  Power,  and  coming  on 
the  clouds  of  heaven." 

The  high  priest  made  a  great  show  of  being  horrified 
at  the  words  of  Jesus.  He  took  hold  of  his  garments 
and  ripped  them  and  cried  out,  "  He  hath  spoken 
blasphemy:  what  further  need  have  we  of  witnesses?  be- 
hold, now  ye  have  heard  the  blasphemy:  what  think  ye? 
There  was  an  answering  shout,  "  He  is  worthy  of  death." 
The  assembly  was  already  in  an  uproar  and  there  was  no 
formal  vote  as  to  a  verdict,  no  opportunity  given  for 
any  dissenting  vote,  only  this  frenzied  outburst  of 
Caiaphas  and  the  equally  frenzied  reply  of  the  council. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     209 

Then  followed  a  scene  of  frightful  brutality.  All  the 
pent-up  hatred  of  the  priests  and  elders  and  scribes  burst 
forth.  They  forgot  their  usual  cold  decorum.  They 
rushed  upon  Jesus,  striking  him  with  their  fists  and 
spitting  in  his  face.  They  mocked  him,  striking  him  with 
the  palms  of  their  hands,  and  saying  to  him,  "  Prophesy 
unto  us,  thou  Christ:  who  is  he  that  struck  thee?" 

Peter's  Denial.  Mark  14:66-72.  When  Jesus  was 
seized  in  the  garden,  Peter  tried  to  defend  his  Master 
with  the  sword.  When  Jesus  refused  to  permit  his  dis- 
ciple to  defend  him,  Peter  fled  with  the  other  disciples. 
After  a  little,  however,  he  turned  and  followed  after  the 
people  who  had  seized  Jesus.  He  followed  them  to 
the  house  of  Annas  and  from  there  to  the  meeting  of  the 
sanhedrin.  As  he  stood  by  the  fire  in  the  court  a  maid 
of  the  high  priest  saw  him  and  said  to  him,  '^  Thou  also 
wast  with  the  Nazarene,  even  Jesus."  Peter  was  taken 
off  his  guard ;  moreover,  he  was  lonely,  cold,  and  dis- 
couraged. The  instinct  to  save  himself  got  the  better 
of  him.  He  said  to  the  maid,  "  I  neither  know,  nor 
understand  what  thou  sayest."  A  little  later  the  same 
maid  again  charged  him  with  being  a  disciple  of  Jesus 
and  he  again  denied  it.  It  was  not  long  before  several 
persons  near  Peter  looked  sharply  at  him  and  one  of 
them  said,  "  Of  a  truth  thou  art  one  of  them ;  for  thou 
art  a  Galilean."  Peter  was  now  in  a  state  of  terror  verg- 
ing on  panic.  He  began  to  curse  and  to  swear  saying, 
"  I  know  not  this  man  of  whom  ye  speak."  Just  then 
the  cock  crew  and  Peter  remembered  the  words  of  Jesus. 
At  the  sound  of  the  cock  Jesus  turned  and  looked  at 
Peter.  Leaving  the  house  Peter  went  out  where  he  could 
be  alone  and  there  he  wept  bitterly. 

The  Tragic  Fate  of  Judas.  Matt.  27  :3-10.  Peter  was 
not  the  only  disciple  who  was  present  at  the  trial  of  Jesus 
before  the  sanhedrin.  John  was  there  and  had  been  in- 
strumental in  securing  the  admission  of  Peter  to  the 
building.  There  Avas  another  disciple  present,  or  per- 
haps we  should  say  one  who  had  been  a  disciple.  Awful 
remorse  was  beginning  to  make  itself  felt  in  the  heart 
of  Judas.  He  watched  the  proceedings  from  the  edge  of 
the  crowd.     He  heard  the  false  witnesses.     He  heard 


210     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

the  crafty  query  of  Caiaphas  and  the  reply  of  Jesus.  He 
heard  the  shout  of  condemnation  and  saw  the  cruel  blows 
and  the  heartless  mockery.  He  had  been  too  long  with 
Jesus  ever  to  be  like  the  priests  and  the  scribes,  utterly- 
hardened  and  wholly  lacking  in  a  sense  of  justice  and 
compassion.  When  he  saw  Jesus  condemned  to  death 
and  overwhelmed  with  brutal  abuse,  he  could  stand  it  no 
longer.  He  sought  out  a  group  of  the  priests  and  asked 
them  to  take  back  the  thirty  pieces  of  silver  which  had 
been  his  pay  for  betraying  Jesus.  He  said  to  them,  "  I 
have  sinned  in  that  I  betrayed  innocent  blood."  These 
proud  officials  despised  the  poor  creature  whom  they  had 
used  as  their  tool  and  they  replied  coldly,  *'  What  is  that 
to  us?  see  thou  to  it."  Flinging  down  the  silver  on  the 
pavement,  Judas  went  out  and  hanged  himself. 

NoTKBOOK  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  Christ  Before 
Pilate,  by  Munkacsy  (141  Wilde,  page  336,  Bailey)  ; 
Ecce  Homo,  by  Cizeri  (143  Wilde,  page  342,  Bailey). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS  CONDEMNED  AND  CRUCIFIED 

John  18:28  to  19:42:  Mark  16:6-15:  Luke  23:5-16; 
Matt.  27:45-66 

When  the  Jewish  leaders  and  the  rabble  which  fol- 
lowed them  had  brought  Jesus  to  the  Praetorium,  or 
palace  of  Pilate,  they  sent  Jesus  bound  into  the  presence 
of  the  governor,  but  they  refused  to  enter  the  building. 
They  had  a  rule  that  anyone  entering  a  house  occupied 
by  a  Gentile  must  be  considered  as  unclean  for  several 
days.  Anyone  entering  the  palace  of  Pilate  that  morning 
would  so  defile  himself,  in  their  estimation,  that  he  would 
be  unfit  to  eat  the  passover  and  to  enter  into  its  religious 
celebrations.  We  have  here  a  picture  of  the  Pharisee's 
soul.  These  leaders  of  the  Jewish  religion  had  become 
hopeless  formalists.     They  were  hounding  the   Saviour 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     211 

of  the  world  to  his  death  and  they  had  just  given  a 
most  revolting  exhibition  of  their  brutal  hatred  of  him. 
They  saw  in  such  acts  of  wickedness  nothing  to  disbar 
them  from  participating  in  the  worship  of  their  God ; 
yet  they  believed  that  if  they  so  much  as  stepped  inside 
the  house  of  a  despised  Gentile  they  would  be  rendered 
unfit  for  worship. 

The  Jewish  Leaders  Try  to  Force  Pilate  to  Pronounce 
the  Death  Sentence.  John  18  :28-32.  The  sanhedrin  had 
condemned  Jesus  to  death,  but,  as  we  have  seen,  it  could 
not  carry  out  the  penalty  without  the  consent  of  the 
Roman  governor.  So  the  Jewish  leaders  made  no  ac- 
cusation against  Jesus  when  they  brought  him  to  Pilate. 
They  did  not  wish  a  trial  before  the  Roman  governor; 
they  wished  his  ratification  of  the  verdict  their  own  court 
had  rendered.  Pilate  was  unwilling  to  grant  their  request 
without  learning  some  of  the  facts  in  the  case,  so  he 
asked  them  what  accusation  was  lodged  against  Jesus. 
They  refused  to  say,  for  they  knew  that  the  charge  on 
which  they  had  condemned  Jesus  would  have  no  standing 
at  all  in  a  Roman  court.  The  Romans  would  never  con- 
demn a  man  to  death  because  he  laid  claim  to  being  the 
Messiah.  So  the  leaders  answered,  "  If  this  man  were 
not  an  evil-doer,  we  should  not  have  delivered  him  up  unto 
thee."  Then  Pilate  said,  "  Take  him  yourselves,  and 
judge  him  according  to  your  law."  The  Jews  replied, 
"  It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to  death."  So 
Pilate  took  Jesus  aside  and.  talked  with  him  a  little 
while. 

Pilate  Brings  in  a  Verdict  of  "Not  Guilty."  John 
18 :33-38.  Pilate  had  some  of  the  instincts  which  had 
helped  to  make  the  Romans  masters  of  the  world.  He 
was  a  keen  judge  of  human  nature.  In  a  few  moments 
of  conversation  with  Jesus  he  came  to  see  that  this  man 
against  whom  the  Jews  had  passed  the  death  sentence 
was  guiltless.  He  saw  that  it  was  a  case  of  fanatical 
jealousy  and  hatred  on  the  part  of  the  leaders  of  the 
Jewish  religion  toward  a  rival  religious  leader.  He  came 
out  to  the  porch  of  his  palace  and  said  to  the  Jews,  "  I 
find  no  crime  in  him."  That  was  the  verdict  of  a  judge. 
It  was  the  same  as  saying  "  The  court  finds  the  accused 


212     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

not  guilty."  Why  then  did  not  Pilate  go  on  to  say,  "  The 
prisoner  is  discharged?"  It  was  because  Pilate  was  not 
a  good  and  courageous  man.  He  had  a  bad  record,  a 
skeleton  in  his  closet,  which  made  him  a  coward.  He 
had  led  a  sinful  life  and  sin  weaves  a  network  of  evil 
circumstances  which  makes  it  easy  for  us  to  do  evil  and 
hard  to  do  right.  Pilate's  sinful  life  had  dulled  his  sense 
of  right  and  wrong  so  that,  although  he  saw  the 
enormous  wickedness  in  delivering  an  innocent  man  to 
be  crucified,  he  saw  it  but  dimly.  Sin  puts  out  the  eyes 
of  the  soul.  Pilate's  bad  life  had  weakened  his  will  power, 
so  that  although  he  willed  to  release  Jesus,  he  willed  it 
weakly  and  gradually  yielded  to  the  clamors  of  the  Jews. 
The  story  of  Pilate's  gradual  yielding  to  the  clamorings 
of  the  Jewish  leaders  and  the  night  rabble  of  Jerusalem 
is  one  of  the  most  tragic  accounts  in  all  history. 

Pilate  Gradually  Conquered  by  the  Clamor  of  the  Jews. 
John  18:39  to  19:16.  There  was  only  one  right  course  of 
conduct  for  Pilate  and  that  was  to  set  Jesus  free.  But 
Pilate  began  to  seek  some  way  of  evading  the  issue  or  of 
compromising  the  matter.  The  Jewish  rabble  began  to 
cry  out,  asking  him  to  release  one  of  the  prisoners  to 
them  according  to  the  established  customs,  for  Pilate 
had  been  in  the  habit  of  letting  the  Jewish  people  choose 
one  prisoner  who  should  be  set  free  at  the  -feast  of  the 
passover.  Pilate  seems  to  have  thought :  "  Here  is  an 
opportunity  for  me  to  get  out  of  this  difficulty.  I  will 
condemn  Jesus,  sentence  him  to  death,  and  then  pardon 
him,  setting  him  free  according  to  this  established  cus- 
tom." It  was  a  shameful  thought  for  a  judge,  to  con- 
demn an  innocent  man  and  then  send  him  forth  as  a 
pardoned  criminal,  in  the  hope  that  in  thus  disgracing 
him  he  might  satisfy  the  enemies  of  the  accused.  The 
Jewish  leaders  would  have  no  such  compromise ;  they 
quickly  passed  word  around  among  the  rabble  that  the 
choice  should  be  Barabbas,  a  noted  outlaw,  in  prison  for 
insurrection  and  murder.  So  the  cry  went  up,  "  Not 
this  man,  but  Barabbas."  Pilate's  first  attempt  at  a  com- 
promise had  failed. 

Some  one  in  the  court  happened  to  mention  the  name 
of  Herod,  and  Pilate  on  inquiry  found  out  that  Jesus  was 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS    213 

a  citizen  of  Galilee  and  that  he  belonged  to  Herod's  juris- 
diction. Morever,  he  learned  that  Herod  was  even  then 
in  Jerusalem.  So  Rilate  sent  Jesus  and  his  crowd  of  ac- 
cusers away  to  Herod.  But  nothing  came  of  it.  Herod 
was  no  more  willing  than  Pilate  to  take  the  responsibili- 
ties involved  in  a  settlement  of  the  case,  so  he  sent 
Jesus  back. 

Then  Pilate  took  another  downward  step.  He  said,  "  I 
will  . . .  chastise  him,  and  release  him."  He  had  reached 
the  point  where  he  was  willing  to  come  as  near  taking  the 
life  of  Jesus  as  he  could  without  actually  doing  it.  So 
he  delivered  Jesus  to  the  cruel  Roman  soldiers  with 
orders  that  he  be  scourged.  This  scourging  was  the 
awful  punishment  of  the  Romans.  The  scourge  was  a 
whip  of  many  lashes  and  each  lash  was  loaded  with  bits 
of  sharp  metal.  Prisoners  were  whipped  on  their  bare 
backs  and  they  often  died  under  the  punishment.  The 
scourging  almost  killed  Jesus. 

The  soldiers  subjected  Jesus  to  cruel  mockery.  They 
had  heard  slanderous  reports  about  Jesus'  claim  to  be 
the  king  of  the  Jews,  so  they  made  a  crown  of  thorns 
and  put  it  on  his  head,  and  they  put  a  purple  garment 
on  him  to  make  him  look  like  a  king.  They  also  put  a 
reed  in  his  hand  to  represent  a  king's  scepter.  Then 
they  bowed  the  knee  before  him  and  mocked  him  saying, 
"  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews !"  After  this  their  mockery  gave 
place  to  brutal  violence.  They  struck  Jesus  with  their 
hands,  and  taking  the  reed  from  him  they  hit  him  on 
the  head  with  it. 

After  the  scourging,  and  while  Jesus  was  still  wearing 
the  crown  of  thorns  and  the  purple  garment,  Pilate 
brought  him  out  to  the  Jews  and  said,  "  Behold,  the 
man !"  If  Pilate  imagined  that  the  sight  of  Jesus  in  his 
pitiable  condition  would  awaken  some  dormant  emotion 
of  compassion  in  the  hearts  of  the  crowd  outside  the 
door  of  the  Praetorium,  or  if  he  thought  that  the  sight 
of  Jesus  would  satisfy  the  cruel  hatred  of  the  mob,  he 
was  mistaken.  The  only  answer  to  Pilate's  words  was 
a  shout  of  "  Crucify  him,  crucify  him !"  Pilate  answered 
them,  "  Take  him  yourselves,  and  crucify  him :  for  I  find 
no  crime  In  him."    Some  one  in  the  crowd  cried  out,  "  We 


214     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

have  a  law,  and  by  that  law  he  ought  to  die,  because  he 
made  himself  the  Son  of  God."  This  was  the  real  ac- 
cusation against  Jesus  and  it  was  now  mentioned  for  the 
first  time  in  the  trial  before  Pilate.  Pilate  had  already 
been  deeply  impressed  by  the  personality  of  Jesus.  We 
can  detect  a  kind  of  awe  in  his  attitude  toward  Jesus  from 
the  first.  When  he  heard  these  words  about  Jesus'  hav- 
ing laid  claim  to  being  the  Son  of  God,  he  became  still 
more  troubled  and  afraid.  He  took  Jesus  aside  again  and 
asked  him  in  an  awed  whisper,  "Whence  art  thou?"  In 
this  second  interview  with  Jesus,  Pilate's  desire  to  release 
him  was  revived.  He  went  out  to  the  multitudes  evi- 
dently determined  to  be  done  with  the  case  and  to  set  the 
prisoner  free.  When  the  Jews  saw  Pilate  again  appear 
with  Jesus  and  knew  that  Pilate  was  about  to  release 
him,  they  cried  out,  "  If  thou  release  this  man,  thou  art 
not  Caesar's  friend :  every  one  that  maketh  himself  a 
king  speaketh  against  Caesar."  Pilate  knew  that  he  had 
a  bad  record.  As  a  governor  he  had  taken  bribes  and 
acted  with  violence  on  certain  occasions.  He  knew  that 
a  delegation  of  Jews  had  gone  to  Rome  with  accusations 
against  his  predecessor,  Archelaus,  and  that  as  a  result 
Archelaus  had  been  deposed  and  banished.  The  threat  of 
an  appeal  to  Caesar  made  Pilate  tremble.  How  could  he 
explain  to  the  cruel  and  suspicious  Tiberius  his  act  in 
setting  free  a  Jew  whom  his  own  people  accused  of 
aspiring  to  be  king?  Down  in  his  heart  Pilate  said,  "I 
must  save  myself."  "  Then  therefore  he  delivered  him 
unto  them  to  be  crucified." 

The  Crucifixion.  John  19:17-37.  Jesus  was  crucified 
outside  the  walls  of  Jerusalem.  Two  thieves  were  cruci- 
fied with  him,  one  on  each  side  with  Jesus  in  the  midst 
The  enemies  of  Jesus  were  there  to  see  the  end.  They 
railed  at  him  saying,  "  Thou  that  destroyest  the  temple, 
and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save  thyself:  if  thou  art 
the  Son  of  God,  come  down  from  the  cross."  The  chief 
priests  were  there.  It  was  an  hour  of  triumph  for  them. 
They  joined  in  the  mockery  of  the  rabble  saying  of  Jesus, 
"  He  saved  others ;  himself  he  cannot  save." 

After  a  time  silence  began  to  fall  on  the  crowd  gath- 
ered on  Calvary,  for  an  unnatural  darkness  was  falling 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     215 

over  the  earth.  The  darkness  grew  more  dense.  When 
Jesus  died  there  was  a  great  earthquake  and  the  rocks 
were  rent  asunder.  The  veil  of  the  Temple,  which  was  a 
great  curtain  inclosing  the  Holy  Place,  was  rent  in  twain. 
That  night  the  body  of  Jesus  was  taken  down  and  laid  in 
a  tomb  which  belonged  to  a  man  named  Joseph. 

"Make  It  as  Sure  as  Ye  Can."  Matt.  27:62-66. 
Though  Jesus  was  now  dead  and  his  body  in  the  tomb, 
the  hearts  of  those  who  had  brought  him  to  the  cross 
were  not  at  peace.  The  triiunph  of  an  evil  purpose 
never  brings  peace,  courage,  or  lasting  satisfaction.  The 
Jewish  leaders  were  uneasy.  They  went  to  Pilate  and 
said :  "  Sir,  we  remember  that  that  deceiver  said  while 
he  was  yet  alive.  After  three  days  I  rise  again.  Command 
therefore  that  the  sepulchre  be  made  sure  until  the  third 
day,  lest  haply  his  disciples  come  and  steal  him  away, 
and  say  unto  the  people.  He  is  risen  from  the  dead :  and 
the  last  error  will  be  worse  than  the  first."  Pilate  said 
to  them,  "  Ye  have  a  guard :  go,  make  it  as  sure  as  ye 
can."  So  they  went  to  the  sepulcher  and  sealed  the 
stone  door  with  the  Roman  seal,  the  unlawful  breaking 
of  which  was  punishable  with  death.  Then  they  left  the 
armed  guard  to  watch  over  the  sepulcher  night  and  day 
until  the  three  days  should  be  past.  They  had  made  the 
sepulcher  as  sure  as  they  could. 

The:  Li:sson  Praye:r 

Our  Father  in  heaven,  thou  didst  so  love  the  world 
that  thou  didst  send  thy  only  begotten  Son  to  die  for 
the  salvation  of  all  mankind.  We  cannot  understand  the 
greatness  of  thy  love.  We  cannot  understand  the  won- 
ders of  thy  plan  of  human  redemption.  But  we  can  see 
thee  and  know  thee  as  thou  art  revealed  in  the  teachings 
and  in  the  life  and  in  the  death  of  Jesus,  thy  Son.  Fill 
our  hearts  with  love  and  reverence  for  him.  Teach  us 
how  to  be  wholly  loyal  to  him.  Help  us  to  spend  our 
lives  in  such  a  way  as  to  honor  him  and  to  advance  his 
Kingdom  on  earth.    We  ask  in  his  name.    Amen. 


216    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Thk  Lr:ssoN  Hymn 

Alas!  and  did  my  Saviour  bleed, 

And  did  my  Sovereign  die! 
Would  he  devote  that  sacred  head 

For  sinners  such  as  I! 

Was  it  for  crimes  that  I  had  done 

He  groaned  upon  the  tree! 
Amazing  pity!  Grace  unknown! 

And  love  beyond  degree! 

Well  might  the  sun  in  darkness  hide, 

And  shut  his  glories  in, 
When  he,  the  mighty  Maker,  died 

For  man  the  creature's  sin. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  221. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE   DEATH   OF   CHRIST   IN   GOD'S   PLAN   OF 
REDEMPTION 

Gen.  3 :15  ;  Isa.,  ch.  53  ;  Rom.  3  :21-26  ;  Rev.  5  :9-14 

We  have  selected  as  the  Scriptural  basis  of  our  lesson 
four  passages  from  the  Bible.  They  all  deal  with  the 
subject  of  human  redemption  from  sin  and  evil.  The 
first  passage  is  from  the  first  book  of  the  Bible.  It  is 
an  indefinite,  but  firm,  promise  that  the  blight  of  sin 
shall  be  purged  away  from  the  human  race.  It  indicates 
in  broad  outlines  the  method  of  redemption.  The  serpent 
of  sin  shall  be  vanquished  by  the  seed  of  the  woman, 
but  the  heel  of  the  victor  will  be  bruised  in  the  con- 
flict. 

The  second  passage  is  one  of  the  most  sublime  of  the 
utterances  of  the  Hebrew  prophets.  The  great  soul  of  a 
man  of  God  under  divine  inspiration  caught  sight  of  a  per- 
sonal deliverer:  one  who  should  be  "despised,  and  re- 
jected of  men,"  who  should  be  "  wounded  for  our  trans- 
gressions," and  "  bruised  for  our  iniquities,"  and  by  whose 
stripes  we  should  be  healed.     Note  how  perfect  a  pic- 


INTERiMEDIATK  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     217 

tiire  is  given  in  this  Old  Testament  chapter  of  the  events 
connected  with  the  trial  and  crucifixion  of  Jesus :  "  He 
was  oppressed,  yet  when  he  was  afflicted  he  opened  not 
his  mouth ;  as  a  lamb  that  is  led  to  the  slaughter,  and  as 
a  sheep  that  before  its  shearers  is  dumb,  so  he  opened 
not  his  mouth.  By  oppression  and  judgment  he  was 
taken  away ;  and  as  for  his  generation,  who  among  them 
considered  that  he  was  cut  ofT  out  of  the  land  of  the  liv- 
ing for  the  transgression  of  my  people  to  whom  the 
stroke  was  due?" 

In  the  third  passage,  one  of  the  greatest  minds  of  all 
history,  guided  as  we  believe  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  is 
laboring  to  make  clear  to  the  minds  of  men  the  place  of 
the  death  of  Jesus  in  God's  plan  of  redemption.  Paul 
says  that  through  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  God  was  able 
to  be  just  and  at  the  same  time  to  be  the  justifier  of  all 
who  have  faith  in  Jesus. 

In  the  last  passage,  we  are  given  a  glimpse  of  the 
triumph  of  God's  plan  of  redemption.  The  picture  is 
that  of  redeemed  humanity  singing  psalms  of  praise  to 
its  Redeemer:  "And  they  sing  a  new  song,  saying, 
Worthy  art  thou  to  take  the  book,  and  open  the  seals 
thereof :  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  didst  purchase  unto  God 
with  thy  blood  men  of  every  tribe,  and  tongue,  and 
people,  and  nation,  and  madest  them  to  be  unto  our  God  a 
kingdom  and  priests ;  and  they  reign  upon  the  earth." 

Thus  we  see  that  the  one  great  theme  running  all 
through  the  Bible  is  the  theme  of  human  redemption 
and  that  at  the  heart  of  that  theme  there  is  always  a 
reference,  direct  or  implied,  to  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ. 

BiBLK  Versus 

Eph.  2:14,  15:  Heb.  10:10;  13:12;  9:11,  12;  Rom.  5:8; 
I  John  4:10;  I  Peter  1:18,  19. 

Review  Questions 

1.  How  did  Jesus  during  the  last  moments  of  his 
life  provide  for  a  home  for  his  mother?    John  19:25-27. 

2.  What  accusation  did  Pilate  have  placed  on  the 
cross  of  Jesus?    John  19  :19-22. 


218     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

3.  Tell  of  the  conversion  of  the  thief  on  the  cross. 
Luke  23  :39-43. 

4.  What  was  the  significance  of  the  rending  of  the 
veil  of  the  Temple  at  the  moment  of  Jesns'  death? 

5.  What  effect  did  the  death  of  Jesus  have  on  the 
Roman  centurion  who  commanded  the  soldiers  at  the 
crucifixion  ?    Luke  23  :44-47. 

6.  What  is  the  great  central  theme  of  the  Bible? 

7.  What  place  does  the  death  of  Jesus  seem  to  hold 
in  the  central  theme  of  the  Bible? 

Study  Topics 

1.  What  Jesus  Taught  Concerning  the  Indispensa- 
bility  of  His  Death.    John  12  :23,  24. 

2.  What  Jesus  Taught  About  His  Death  as  a  Fulfill- 
ment of  Prophecy.    Luke  24:25-27. 

3.  What  Jesus  Meant  When  He  Spoke  of  His  Death 
as  the  Time  When  the  Son  of  Man  Should  Be  Glorified. 
John  17  :L 

4.  The  Cross  Was  a  Symbol  of  Shame  for  It  Was 
the  Roman  Gallows.  What  Change  Has  Come  into  Our 
Thoughts  Regarding  the  Cross? 

5.  Great  Hymns  Based  on  the  Passion  of  Jesus. 

6.  Great  Paintings  Based  on  the  Passion  of  Jesus. 

7.  What  Efifect  Ought  the  Death  of  Jesus  to  Have  on 
Our  Lives? 

8.  The  Passion  of  Jesus  in  Poetry.  (See  Arnold, 
"  The  Light  of  the  World ;"  Sidney  Lanier,  "  A  Ballad 
of  Trees  and  the  Master.") 

The  Law  of  RevEri^nce:  for  the  Character  oe  Jesus 

The  character  of  Jesus  as  it  is  portrayed  in  the  gospels 
is  one  of  matchless  purity  and  strength.  Moreover,  the 
Bible  teaches  us  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God  and  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.    Therefore  : 

1.  We  will  think  reverently  of  him,  knowing  that  in 
our  thoughts  we  must  either  honor  or  dishonor  him. 

2.  We  will  speak  reverently  of  him,^  honoring  his 
name  and  seeking  to  lead  others  to  honor  it. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     219 

3.  We  will  act  reverently  toward  him,  for  we  know 
that  he  is  something  more  than  a  great  character  of  his- 
tory. We  believe  that  he  is  with  us  always  and  that  we 
must  each  day  maintain  some  sort  of  attitude  toward 
him.  We  will  endeavor  to  make  our  attitude  toward 
him  an  attitude  of  reverence  and  obedience  and  love. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

OUR  RISEN  LORD 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

THE  EMPTY  TOMB  AND  THE  FIRST  APPEARANCES 
OF  THE  RISEN  SAVIOUR 

Matt.  28  :1-15  ;  Luke  24 :13-42  ;  John  20  :19-29 

There  is  a  certain  harmony  between  the  resurrection 
of  Jesus  and  the  deeper  currents  of  history.  Evil  has 
often  had  every  appearance  of  a  full  triumph  for  a  little 
while.  But  soon  the  triumph  of  evil  is  shown  to  be 
temporary  and  to  contain  within  it  the  seeds  of  its  own 
undoing.  So  universal  is  this  law  that  it  can  be  truly 
said, 

"  Truth  forever  on  the  scaffold, 

Wrong  forever  on  the  throne, 
Yet  that  scaffold  sways  the  future, 

And,  behind  the  dim  unknown, 
Standeth  God  within  the  shadow, 

Keeping  watch  above  his  own." 

When  Jesus  was  taken  down  from  the  cross,  it  seemed 
from  outward  appearances  that  evil  had  won  a  great 
triumph.  Jealousy,  hatred,  and  deceit  had  accomplished 
their  end.  Jesus  was  dead,  although  he  had  been  true  to 
the  light,  loyal  to  the  truth,  and  faithful  to  his  task.  His 
body  lay  in  a  sealed  grave  watched  by  armed  soldiers. 
The  forces  of  evil  had  done  their  worst.  They  had  made 
their  triumph  as  sure  as  they  could. 

The  Angel  of  the  Resurrection.  Matt.  28:1-4.  The 
body  of  Jesus  lay  in  Joseph's  sepulcher  Friday  night,  all 
through  Saturday  which  was  the  Jewish  Sabbath,  and 
through  Saturday  night.  Very  early  on  Sunday  morning, 
just  as  day  was  beginning  to  dawn,  Jesus  rose  from  the 
dead.  This  wonderful  event  was  preceded  by  a  great 
earthquake.    Then  an  angel  appeared  clothed  in  garments 

220 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     221 

of  shining  white.  The  gospel  narratives  tell  us  that  "  his 
appearance  was  as  lightning."  He  paid  no  heed  to  the 
Roman  seal  on  the  stone.  He  broke  the  seal  and  rolled 
away  the  stone  from  the  door  of  the  sepulcher.  As  for 
the  Roman  guards,  at  the  first  sight  of  this  heavenly  visi- 
tor, they  fell  down  "  and  became  as  dead  men." 

First  Words  of  the  Risen  Saviour  to  His  Followers. 
Matt.  28  :5-10.  Some  of  the  faithful  women  who  had  been 
with  Jesus  during  the  days  of  his  ministry  and  who  had 
stood  near  his  cross  when  he  died,  were  first  to  see  the 
risen  Saviour.  They  had  come  with  spices  to  embalm  the 
body  of  Jesus,  but  when  they  reached  the  sepulcher, 
they  found  the  stone  rolled  away  from  the  door.  The 
resurrection  angel  appeared  to  these  women  and  said  to 
them  :  ''  Fear  not  ye ;  for  I  know  that  ye  seek  Jesus,  who 
hath  been  crucified.  He  is  not  here ;  for  he  is  risen,  even 
as  he  said.  Come,  see  the  place  where  the  Lord  lay. 
And  go  quickly,  and  tell  his  disciples,  He  is  risen  from 
the  dead ;  and  lo,  he  goeth  before  you  into  Galilee ;  there 
shall  ye  see  him :  lo,  I  have  told  you."  The  women  de- 
parted quickly  from  the  sepulcher,  with  fear  and  great 
joy,  and  they  "  ran  to  bring  his  disciples  word."  While 
they  were  on  their  way,  Jesus  met  them,  saying  to  them, 
''  All  hail."  Drawing  near,  the  women  took  hold  of 
his  feet  and  worshiped  him.  Then  Jesus  said  to  them, 
"  Fear  not :  go  tell  my  brethren  that  they  depart  into 
Galilee,  and  there  shall  they  see  me." 

The  Report  of  the  Watch.  Matt.  28  :11-15.  Some  of 
the  soldiers  who  had  been  on  guard  at  the  sepulcher 
finally  reached  the  Jewish  leaders  and  told  them  what 
had  taken  place.  A  meeting  of  the  sanhedrin  was  hastily 
called.  It  was  decided  to  bribe  the  soldiers  so  as  to  in- 
duce them  to  make  a  false  report  of  what  had  happened 
at  the  sepulcher.  They  said  to  the  members  of  the  guard, 
"  Say  ye.  His  disciples  came  by  night,  and  stole  him  away 
while  we  slept."  The  soldiers  would  have  hesitated  thus 
to  incriminate  themselves  if  the  offered  bribe  had  not 
been  unusually  large  and  accompanied  by  the  promise, 
"  If  this  come  to  the  governor's  ears,  we  will  persuade 
him,  and  rid  you  of  care." 

Jesus    Appears    to    Two    Disciples    on    the    Road    to 


222     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Emmaus.  Luke  24  :13-35.  Toward  evening  of  that  first 
Easter,  two  of  the  disciples  of  Jesus  were  on  their  way 
to  Emmaus,  a  village  not  far  from  Jerusalem,  probably 
five  or  six  miles  from  that  city.  As  these  two  followers 
of  Jesus  walked  along  the  road,  they  talked  of  the  stirring 
events  of  the  past  few  days ;  of  the  trial  and  crucifixion 
of  Jesus  and  the  reports  which  had  reached  them  con- 
cerning certain  women  who  had  that  morning  found  the 
tomb  open  and  who  had  been  told  by  an  angel  that  Jesus 
was  alive.  As  they  talked  some  one  drew  near.  He 
was  apparently  a  stranger,  but  he  asked  them  concerning 
the  subject  of  their  conversation.  One  of  the  disciples 
whose  name  was  Cleopas  answered,  "  Dost  thou  alone 
sojourn  in  Jerusalem  and  not  know  the  things  which 
are  come  to  pass  there  in  these  days?"  The  one  who 
had  joined  them  answered,  "What  things?"  They  re- 
plied :  "  The  things  concerning  Jesus  the  Nazarene,  who 
was  a  prophet  mighty  in  deed  and  word  before  God  and 
all  the  people :  and  how  the  chief  priests  and  our  rulers 
delivered  him  to  be  condemned  to  death,  and  crucified 
him.  But  we  hoped  that  it  was  he  who  should  redeem 
Israel.  Yea  and  besides  all  this,  it  is  now  the  third  day 
since  these  things  came  to  pass.  Moreover  certain  women 
of  our  company  amazed  us,  having  been  early  at  the  tomb  ; 
and  when  they  found  not  his  body,  they  came,  saying, 
that  they  had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  who  said  that 
he  was  alive.  And  certain  of  them  that  were  with  us 
went  to  the  tomb,  and  found  it  even  so  as  the  women  had 
said :  but  him  they  Saw  not." 

As  they  walked  along  the  road  the  new-found  com- 
panion of  the  disciples  talked  to  them  about  the  Mes- 
siah and  showed  them  that  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
suffer  and  be  glorified  through  giving  his  life  for  the  re- 
demption of  the  world.  At  evening  they  reached  the 
village  and  the  one  who  had  joined  the  disciples  on  the 
road  "  made  as  though  he  would  go  further."  The  two 
disciples  besought  him  to  enter  their  home,  saying, 
"  Abide  with  us ;  for  it  is  toward  evening,  and  the  day 
is  now  far  spent."  Their  companion  consented  and 
entered  the  house  with  them.  When  they  sat  down  to 
eat  their  evening  meal,  the  guest  whom  they  had  invited 


INTERMKDIATK  CHURCH  vSCHOOL  LESSONS     223 

into  their  home  took  *'  bread  and  blessed ;  and  breaking 
it  he  gave  to  them.''  Perhaps  it  was  something  in  the 
words  or  acts  of  Jesus  as  he  broke  the  bread  and  blessed 
it  that  revealed  the  identity  of  the  one  who  had  been  the 
companion  of  the  two  disciples  on  the  highway  and  who 
was  now  seated  with  them  at  the  table.  However  this 
may  be,  we  are  told  that  the  disciples  at  that  moment 
recognized  their  guest  as  Jesus.  As  soon  as  the  disciples 
recognized  Jesus,  he  vanished  from  their  sight.  Filled 
with  a  great  joy,  the  two  disciples  left  their  home  and 
started  back  to  Jerusalem. 

With  His  Disciples  in  Jerusalem.  Luke  24 :36-42  ;  John 
20:19-29.  When  the  two  disciples  reached  Jerusalem, 
they  found  the  followers  of  Jesus  gathered  together  talk- 
ing over  the  wonderful  events  of  the  day.  They  told  the 
assembled  disciples  about  their  experiences  on  the  road 
to  Emmaus  and  how  they  had  recognized  Jesus  as  he 
broke  bread  in  their  home.  As  they  were  speaking, 
Jesus,  himself,  stood  in  their  midst.  "  Peace  be  unto  you," 
said  he.  But  the  disciples  and  the  others  who  were  pres- 
ent were  terrified  supposing  that  a  spirit  had  appeared 
to  them.  Jesus  sought  to  reassure  them.  He  said :  "  Why 
are  ye  troubled?  and  wherefore  do  questionings  arise 
in  your  hearts?  See  my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  my- 
self: handle  me,  and  see;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and 
bones,  as  ye  behold  me  having."  In  order  further  to 
convince  them  that  it  was  not  some  spiritual  apparition 
which  they  beheld,  he  said,  "  Have  ye  here  anything  to 
eat?"  They  "  gave  him  a  piece  of  a  broiled  fish.  And  he 
took  it,  and  ate  before  them." 

The  Resurrection  Body  of  Jesus.  The  passages  of  the 
New  Testament  which  we  have  studied,  together  with 
others  to  be  taken  up  in  our  next  lesson,  teach  us  many 
things  about  the  resurrection  body  of  Jesus.  It  was  a 
real  body  and  not  a  mere  shadowy  semblance  of  a  body 
in  which  Jesus  appeared  to  his  disciples.  It  was  the  same 
body  in  which  he  had  lived  before  his  death  on  the  cross. 
And  yet  it  was  a  more  wonderful  body  than  it  had  been 
before  the  resurrection.  The  resurrection  body  of  Jesus 
had  certain  powers  which  it  had  not  previously  pos- 
sessed.    It  was  freed  from  certain  limitations  which  had 


224    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

beset  it.  We  believe  that  the  resurrection  body  of  Jesus 
is  a  demonstration  of  what  our  own  bodies  shall  become 
when  "  this  corruptible  shall  have  put  on  incorruption, 
and  this  mortal  shall  have  put  on  immortality,  and  death 
is  swallowed  up  in  victory." 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook :  Holy  Women  at  the 
Tomb,  by  Ender  (3330  Perry,  page  390  Bailey)  ;  Walk  to 
Emmaus,  by  Plockhorst  (164  Wilde). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

SUBSEQUENT  APPEARANCES  OF  THE  RISEN 
SAVIOUR 

John  21  :l-24 ;  Matt.  28  :16-20 ;  Acts  1 :1-11 

Jesus  seems  to  have  appeared  frequently  to  his  dis- 
ciples during  a  period  of  about  forty  days.  He  may  have 
been  seen  on  other  occasions  than  those  mentioned  in 
the  New  Testament.  Paul  mentions  an  appearance  to 
James  and  another  occasion  when  Jesus  was  seen  by 
more  than  five  hundred  persons.  When  Paul  wrote  this 
statement,  most  of  the  five  hundred  people  who  had  seen 
Jesus  on  the  occasion  mentioned  were  still  living.  Paul 
had  probably  met  not  only  the  disciples  but  also  hundreds 
of  other  people  who  had  seen  Jesus  after  his  resurrec- 
tion. In  this  lesson  we  shall  study  a  few  of  the  appear- 
ances of  Jesus  which  are  most  fully  described  in  the 
New  Testament. 

With  His  Disciples  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  John  21 :1- 
14.  On  the  morning  of  the  resurrection  both  Jesus  and 
the  angel  had  bidden  the  women  tell  the  disciples  to  de- 
part into  Galilee  and  had  promised  them  that  there  they 
should  see  the  risen  Saviour.  The  fulfillment  of  the 
promise  came  in  due  time.  Seven  of  the  disciples  were 
together  one  day  by  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  Peter  in  his 
impulsive  way  said  to  the  others,  "  I  go  a  fishing."  It 
had  been  a  long  time  since  the  disciples  had  tried  to 
catch  fish.     Perhaps  Peter  had  some  thoughts  of  return- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     225 

ing  permanently  to  his  former  occupation.  The  other 
disciples  said,  **  We  also  come  with  thee."  That  night 
they  toiled  diligently,  but  they  caught  nothing,  at  all. 
In  the  morning  Jesus  appeared  to  them  on  the  shore 
of  the  lake  and  calling  to  them  said,  "  Children,  have  ye 
aught  to  eat?"  They  answered,  "  No."  He  said  to  them, 
"  Cast  the  net  on  the  right  side  of  the  boat,  and  ye  shall 
find."  They  did  so  and  the  nets  were  found  to  be  so 
full  of  fish  that  they  could  not  draw  them  in.  This 
miraculous  draft  of  fishes  was  so  much  like  another  won- 
derful catch  which  they  had  made  under  the  direction 
of  Jesus,  when  they  had  first  become  his  followers,  that 
the  disciples  knew  that  the  one  on  the  shore  must  be 
their  Teacher.  John  said  to  Peter,  "  It  is  the  Lord." 
Hearing  this,  Peter  cast  himself  into  the  water  and  swam 
to  land.  When  they  reached  land,  they  found  a  fire 
of  coals  with  freshly  roasted  fish  for  their  breakfast. 

Peter,  as  you  will  remember,  had  denied  his  Lord  three 
times.  After  the  breakfast  on  the  beach,  Jesus  turned  to 
Peter  and  said,  *'  Simon,  son  of  John,  lovest  thou  me 
more  than  these?"  Peter  had  boasted  that  even  if  all 
the  other  disciples  should  forsake  Jesus,  yet  he  would  not. 
Three  times  Jesus  asked  substantiall}^  the  same  question 
of  Peter  and  each  time  Peter  affirmed  his  love  for  Jesus. 
Each  affirmation  of  Peter  was  followed  by  a  word  from 
Jesus  exhorting  Peter  to  be  a  shepherd  to  the  other  dis- 
ciples and  other  members  of  the  little  band  of  believers. 

With  His  Disciples  on  a  Mountain  in  Galilee.  Matt. 
28  :16-20.  Another  of  the  appearances  of  Jesus  was  in  the 
midst  of  the  familiar  scenes  of  Galilee.  This  time  it 
was  not  beside  the  lake  but  on  a  mountain  where  Jesus 
had  told  the  disciples  to  meet  with  him.  It  was  on  this 
occasion  that  Jesus  spoke  to  his  disciples  the  words 
which  have  long  been  known  as  the  "  Great  Commis- 
sion." He  said  to  them :  "  All  authority  hath  been  given 
unto  me  in  heaven  and  on  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and 
make  disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing  them'  into 
the  name  of  the  Father  and  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit:  teaching  them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever 
I  commanded  you:  and  lo,  I  am  with  you  always,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world." 


226     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Jesus'  Final  Appearance  and  his  Ascension.  Acts  1 :1- 
11.  Jesus  bade  farewell  to  his  disciples  on  the  Mount  of 
Olives,  not  far  from  the  little  village  of  Bethany  where 
he  had  spent  so  many  happy  hours  in  the  home  of  his 
friends.  As  his  disciples  gathered  about  him,  he  told 
them  of  the  Holy  Spirit  who  was  to  come  and  be  their 
guide  in  the  great  task  which  he  had  assigned  to  them. 
He  told  them  not  to  depart  from  Jerusalem  until  the 
Holy  Spirit  had  come  upon  them. 

The  hope  of  a  restored  Jewish  kingdom  had  been  bred 
into  the  very  lives  of  the  disciples  from  the  days  of  their 
childhood.  Now  that  Jesus  was  risen  from  the  dead, 
they  began  to  think  that  after  all  there  might  be  a 
temporal  kingdom  something  like  that  of  which  they 
had  dreamed.  So  they  asked  Jesus,  "  Lord,  dost  thou  at 
this  time  restore  the  kingdom  to  Israel?"  Jesus  answered 
them  kindly  but  firmly,  saying :  "  It  is  not  for  you  to 
know  times  or  seasons,  which  the  Father  hath  set  within 
his  own  authority.  But  ye  shall  receive  power,  when 
the  Holy  Spirit  is  come  upon  you :  and  ye  shall  be  my 
witnesses  both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  all  Jud?ea  and 
Samaria,  and  unto  the  uttermost  part  of  the  earth."  With 
these  words  Jesus  was  taken  up  from  his  disciples  and  a 
cloud  hid  him  from  their  view. 

The  Best  Attested  Fact  of  History.  The  resurrection 
of  Jesus  has  been  called  '*  the  best  attested  fact  of  his- 
tory." We  can  hardly  have  a  doubt  concerning  the 
honest  convictions  of  the  New  Testament  writers  who 
declare  that  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead.  Many  of  these 
witnesses  to  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  suffered  bitter  per- 
secutions for  their  faith.  Alany  of  them  gave  up  their 
lives  for  the  cause  they  loved  more  than  they  loved  life. 
People  do  not  do  such  things  for  that  which  they  do  not 
believe. 

The  testimony  of  Paul  is  especially  strong.  He  lived 
at  the  time  of  the  resurrection.  For  some  years  he  was 
a  persecutor  of  the  Christians.  He  must  have  known  all 
possible  arguments  against  the  resurrection.  Yet  he  be- 
came fully  convinced  that  Jesus  rose  from  the  dead. 
When  he  w^rote  his  letter  to  the  Corinthians,  hundreds 


IXTERMKDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     227 

of  people  who  had  seen  Jesus  after  his  resurrection  were 
still  living. 

Then  we  have  the  testimony  of  Jesus  himself.  He 
said  that  he  would  rise  on  the  third  day  after  his  burial. 
We  know  that  Jesus  taught  things  that  are  eternally 
true  and  that  he  had  a  wisdom  beyond  that  of  any  other 
person  who  has  ever  lived  on  earth.  Can  we  imagine 
that  he  was  mistaken  when  he  said  that  he  would  rise 
again  ? 

The  existence  of  the  Christian  Church  is  an  evidence 
that  Jesus  really  arose  from  the  dead.  The  disciples 
went  everywhere  preaching  the  resurrection.  Many  in 
that  time  thought  such  preaching  foolish.  Many  scofifed 
when  they  heard  about  one  rising  from  the  dead.  But 
the  preaching  wrought  wondrous  results :  it  transformed 
the  lives  of  men  and  of  nations.  Such  results  cannot 
come  from  error ;  they  must  arise  from  the  preaching  of 
a  great  truth 

The:  Lesson  Prayer 

For  the  life  and  for  the  resurrection  of  thy  Son,  we 
give  thee  thanks,  our  heavenly  Father.  We  thank  thee 
for  the  hope  of  eternal  life  and  the  faith  in  the  ultimate 
triumph  of  right  which  are  both  made  strong  within  us 
because  of  the  resurrection  of  Jesus.  We  thank  thee  for 
the  faithful  disciples  who  were  witnesses  of  the  resur- 
rection and  who,  in  so  many  instances,  gave  up  their 
lives  rather  than  be  untrue  to  their  mission.  Teach 
us  to  be  true  disciples.  Teach  us  to  be  humble  followers 
of  thy  Son  that  we  may  partake  of  his  spirit  from  day  to 
day  and  so  become  like  him.  Give  us  the  spirit  of  kind- 
ness and  helpfulness,  the  spirit  of  loyalty  and  fidelity,  the 
spirit  of  courage  and  endurance.  We  ask  in  the  name  of 
thy  Son,  our  Saviour.     Amen. 

The  Lesson  Hymn 
Alleluia!     Alleluia!     Alleluia! 

The  strife  is  o'er,  the  battle  done; 

The  victory  of  life  is  won; 
The  song  of  triumph  has  begun. 

Alleluia! 


228    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The  powers  of  death  have  done  their  worst, 
But  Christ  their  legions  hath  dispersed: 

Let  shouts  of  holy  joy  outburst. 
Alleluia! 

The  three  sad  days  have  quickly  sped; 

He  rises  glorious  from  the  dead: 
All  glory  to  our  risen  head! 

Alleluia! 


Lord,  by  the  stripes  which  wounded  thee, 
From  death's  dread  sting  thy  servants  free, 

That  we  may  live  and  sing  to  thee, 
Alleluia! 

"The  Hymnal"   (Revised),  No.  246. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

CARRYING  THE  GLAD  TIDINGS  INTO  ALL  THE 
EARTH 

Luke  24:44-53;  Acts  16:6-10 

The  first  passage  of  Scripture  which  has  been  cnoseri 
for  this  lesson  is  a  wonderful  summing-  up  of  God's  plan 
of  redemption.  Jesus  explained  to  his  disciples  how  his 
sufferings,  his  death,  and  his  resurrection  were  the  fulfill- 
ment of  the  hopes  and  predictions  of  the  law  of  Moses,  of 
the  prophets,  and  of  the  psalms.  The  laws,  the  ser- 
mons, and  the  songs  of  God's  people  in  Old  Testament 
times  had  all  been  full  of  lessons  concerning  the  world's 
Saviour.  By  his  death  and  resurrection  Jesus  had  made 
it  possible  for  all  mankind  to  know  God  and  to  become 
right  with  him.  The  sphere  of  God's  plan  of  redemption 
was  no  longer  restricted  in  any  sense  to  the  Jewish  race. 
Hence  Jesus  laid  before  his  disciples  the  sublime  task  of 
preaching  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  in  his  name 
among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  beginning  at  Jeru- 
salem. "Ye  are  witnesses  of  these  things,"  said  Jesus. 
"  And  behold,  I  send  forth  the  promise  of  my  Father 
upon  you:  but  tarry  ye  in  the  city,  until  ye  be  clothed 
with  power  from  on  high." 

The  second  passage  gives  us  a  glimpse  of  Paul,  the 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     229 

first  great  foreign  missionary.  Under  the  guidance  of 
God's  spirit  he  had  come  down  to  the  westernmost  coasts 
of  Asia.  In  his  dreams  he  saw  a  man  of  Macedonia 
standing  by  him  and  calling  him  to  come  over  into 
Europe  and  help  the  people  there.  In  response  to  that 
call  Paul  carried  Christianity  into  Europe  for  the  first 
time. 

The  great  task  which  Jesus  gave  to  his  followers,  and 
which  men  like  Paul  have  done  so  much  to  advance,  is 
still  unfinished.  We  are  living  to-day  in  the  midst  of  it. 
In  this  meeting  we  wish  to  glance  briefly  over  the 
world  to  see  what  has  been  done  and  what  yet  remains 
for  us  to  do.  The  winning  of  the  world  for  Christ  is  a 
task  in  vv^hich  each  of  us  may  have,  and  ought  to  have, 
a  share.  Our  nation  has  the  greatest  opportunity  to  ad- 
vance the  Kingdom  of  God  that  has  ever  come  to  any 
people.  We  are  already  taking  a  larger  part  in  this  sub- 
lime enterprise  than  any  other  nation.  In  1919  the 
Protestant  denominations  of  our  country  had  10,668  mis- 
sionaries in  the  foreign  fields,  whereas  the  Protestant 
denominations  of  the  whole  of  Europe  had  only  8730 
persons  so  engaged.  Our  country  the  same  year  raised 
nearly  thirty  million  dollars  for  the  foreign-mission  enter- 
prise, whereas  continental  Europe  raised  only  about  a 
million  and  a  half.  Yet  we  ought  not  to  be  boastful  con- 
cerning these  matters ;  we  ought  not  even  to  be  satisfied. 
Our  great,  rich  land  has  only  made  a  very  small  be- 
ginning of  what  it  could  do  and  of  what  it  ought  to  do 
toward  sending  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  into  all  the 
earth. 

Some:  of'  the:  World^s  GrkativST  Mission  Fie;lds 

Latin  America.  By  Latin  America  we  mean  South 
America  and  that  part  of  North  America  which  lies  south 
of  the  Rio  Grande  River,  together  with  the  West  Indies. 
In  Latin  America  there  are  more  than  twenty  million 
native  Indians.  Some  of  these  natives  of  the  highlands 
have  come  into  contact  with  a  nominal  Christianity,  but 
for  the  most  part  they  are  yet  essentially  pagan.  The 
uncivilized  Indians  of  the  lowlands  of  the  interior  of 
South  America  have  for  the  most  part  never  even  heard 


230     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

of  Christianity.  There  are  likewise  sixty  million  other 
people  in  Latin  America  whose  need  for  the  gospel  of 
Christ  is  almost  as  great  as  that  of  their  Indian  neigh- 
bors. 

Africa.  The  continent  of  Africa  has  an  area  four  times 
that  of  the  United  States.  It  has  a  population  of  about 
one  hundred  and  thirty  millions.  The  people  of  the  white 
race  have  reached  either  directly  or  indirectly  with  their 
commerce  practically  all  parts  of  the  vast  African  conti- 
nent. It  is  estimated  that  less  than  ten  per  cent  of  the 
continent  has  not  been  brought  into  contact  with  the 
world's  trade.  But  only  ten  per  cent  of  those  touched  by 
the  commerce  of  the  world  have  been  touched  by  gospel 
influences.  The  natural  resources  of  the  Dark  Continent 
have  thus  gone  forth  to  enrich  the  nations  of  the  world 
which  are  called  Christian.  The  sending  of  an  adequate 
missionary  force  and  the  giving  of  adequate  money  to 
support  such  a  force  would  be  but  a  small  recompense 
to  Africa  for  the  material  wealth  she  has  bestowed  on 
Christian  lands. 

India.  India  is  the  home  of  one  fifth  of  the  human 
race.  With  an  area  only  about  one  half  as  large  as  that 
of  the  United  States,  India  has  a  population  of  nearly 
three  hundred  and  forty  rqillions.  In  our  country  we 
have  an  average  of  thirty-nine  persons  for  every  square 
mile.  India  has  an  average  of  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
three  persons  for  every  square  mile.  The  population  ot 
India  is  made  up  of  many  different  types  of  people.  There 
are  one  hundred  eighty  different  languages  with  nearly  as 
many  different  dialects  in  addition. 

One  of  the  greatest  curses  of  India  is  the  caste  system. 
Birth  within  a  certain  caste  predestines  the  individual 
to  a  life  of  luxurious  ease  or  to  a  life  worse  than  that  ot 
a  slave.  A  high-caste  Brahman  has  far  more  respect  for 
his  dogs  than  for  people  of  a  lower  caste  than  himselt. 
All  this  error  and  wickedness  must  give  way  before  the 
principles  of  service  and  universal  brotherhood  taught 
by  Jesus  Christ. 

China.  China  has  a  larger  population  than  any  other 
nation  in  the  world.  Its  civilization  is  older  than  that  of 
any  nation  existing  to-day.    The  people  of  this  great  na- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     231 

tion  are  for  the  most  part  unlearned,  but  that  they  have 
great  possibilities  for  mental  development  is  shown  by 
the  students  whom  they  are  sending  out  to  the  colleges 
of  America  and  Europe. 

This  great  and  ancient  nation  is  certainly  at  the  thres- 
hold of  a  wonderful  future.  It  has  become  a  republic, 
in  name  at  least,  and  will  ultimately  become  so  in  fact. 
It  is  engaged  in  the  building  of  a  vast  and  modern 
system  of  education.  The  population  is  increasing  at  a 
rapid  rate,  shownng  that  the  Chinese  are  a  virile  people. 
It  is  estimated  tha't  China's  427,000,000  people  will  have 
increased  to  over  800,000,000  by  the  end  of  the  present 
century.  This  epoch  of  changing  conditions  in  China 
presents  a  wonderful  opportunity  for  the  introduction  of 
Christianity. 

Japan.  During  the  past  few  decades  Japan  has  moved 
forw^ard  to  a  place  of  power  and  influence  among  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth.  At  the  same  time  she  is  grappling 
with  internal  problems  of  a  most  perplexing  kind.  Her 
change  from  a  land  of  ancient  agricultural  methods  to  a 
land  of  teeming  modern  industries  has  been  exceedingly 
rapid.  The  number  of  factory  workers  in  Japan  has  in- 
creased sevenfold  in  five  years. 

The  rapid  changes  taking  place  in  Japan  offer  great 
opportunity  for  the  introduction  of  the  Christian  religion. 
Whether  this  nation  moves  toward  unbelief  and  despot- 
ism or  toward  Christian  faith  and  democracy  depends  on 
whether  the  Christian  people  of  America  and  Europe 
are  willing  to  send  the  gospel  to  Japan  in  a  really 
adequate  way. 

Bible  Verses 
Isa.  52  :7 ;  9  :6,  7  ;  Matt.  28  :19,  20  ;  Acts  1 :8  ;  Isa.  11 :9. 


Committee  Work 

Appoint  a  Foreign  Mission  Committee,  to  report  on 
the  theme,  "  What  Our  Denomination  Is  Doing  in  the 
Foreign-Mission  Field."  (Assign  different  countries  to 
different  members  of  the  committee.) 


232     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

The;  Law  of  Loyalty  to  the  Forkign  Missionary 
Enterprise: 

We  believe  that  the  carrying  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  into  all  the  earth  is  the  great  central  task  of  the 
Church,  and  that  it  ought  to  be  the  aim  of  every  worthy 
individual  to  help  in  this  great  cause.    Therefore : 

1.  We  will  give  a  portion  of  our  income  to  the  sup- 
port of  the  foreign-mission  work. 

2.  We  will  try  to  lead  others  to  take  an  interest  in 
this  great  cause. 

3.  We  will  consider  earnestly  the  work  of  the  foreign 
mission  field  as  a  life  work  to  which  we  may  be  called 
of  God. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

WHO  IS  JESUS? 

EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

PERSONAL  TESTIMONIES  IN  THE  NEW  TESTAMENT 
John  1  :l-5  ;  I  John  1  :l-4 ;  Col.  1 :15-17  ;  Heb.  1  :l-4 

When  Jesus  had  stilled  the  waves  and  the  wind  on  the 
Sea  of  Galilee,  his  disciples  said  to  one  another  in  awed 
voices,  "Who  then  is  this?"  As  we  draw  near  to  the 
close  of  our  study  of  the  life  of  Jesus,  it  is  fitting  that  we 
ask  ourselves  this  question  which  the  disciples  asked  one 
another,  ''Who,  then,  is  Jesus?"  Is  he  just  a  man,  or  is 
he  something  more  than  man?  In  this  lesson  we  are  to 
consider  some  of  the  personal  testimonies  concerning 
him  which  are  found  in  the  New  Testament. 

The  Testimony  of  Jesus  Himself.  J\Iatt.  11 :2r.  There 
can  be  no  doubt  that  Jesus  claimed  to  stand  in  a  unique 
relationship  to  God.  He  spoke  frequently  of  himself  in 
a  way  that  shows  this.  He  said  that  he  and  the  Father 
were  one  and  that  anyone  who  had  seen  him  had  seen 
the  Father.  He  often  spoke  of  himself  as  God's  Son  and 
he  declared  that  the  Father  had  given  all  power  into  his 
hands.  He  said  that  no  one  knew  the  Son  save  the 
Father,  and  that  no  one  knew  the  Father  save  the  Son 
and  he  to  whom  the  Son  willed  to  reveal  him.  On  trial 
for  his  life  before  the  high  priest  and  under  oath,  he  said 
that  he  was  the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God.  These 
words  of  testimony  from  Jesus  are  in  perfect  harmony 
with  his  character.  He  never  said  or  did  anything  that 
could  give  any  just  grounds  for  a  denial  of  his  claims. 
On  the  other  hand  all  his  acts  and  his  teachings  and  his 
influence  in  the  centuries  go  to  show  that  he  spoke  words 
of  truth  when  he  claimed  to  be  God's  Son. 

The  Testimony  of  the  Apostle  John.  John  1  :l-5 ;  I 
John   1  :l-4.     John  begins   his   gospel  with   the   sublime 

233 


234     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

words :  *'  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word 
was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The  same  was 
in  the  beginning  with  God.  All  things  were  made 
through  him  ;  and  without  him  was  not  anything  made 
that  hath  been  made.  In  him  was  life;  and  the  life  was 
the  light  of  men.  And  the  light  shineth  in  darkness ;  and 
the  darkness  apprehended  it  not." 

John  means  to  tell  us  that  Jesus  is  God's  Son ;  that  he 
has  existed  with  God  the  Father  eternally ;  that  Jesus,  as 
well  as  God  the  Father,  is  Creator  of  all  things ;  and  that 
in  some  way  surpassing  our  understanding  God  the 
Father  and  Jesus  the  Son  are  one.  John  says  that  Jesus 
is  the  source  of  life  and  light  and  that  his  light  has  been 
shining  through  all  the  past  darkness,  only  the  darkness 
has  been  unconscious  of  it. 

At  the  beginning  of  his  first  Epistle  John  says  some- 
thing very  like  that  which  he  says  at  the  beginning  of 
his  Gospel.  Moreover,  he  tells  us  in  the  Epistle  how  he 
had  gained  his  knowledge  concerning  the  personality  of 
Jesus  through  close  fellowship.  He  had  heard  Jesus. 
He  had  heard  the  very  tones  of  voice  and  the  very  ac- 
cents with  which  Jesus  told  the  story  of  the  Prodigal 
vSon  and  with  which  he  prayed  the  wonderful  prayer 
recorded  in  the  Gospels.  He  had  seen  Jesus  with  his 
own  eyes.  He  had  seen  him  moved  with  compassion  for 
a  leper  and  healing  the  unfortunate  man  with  a  touch. 
He  had  seen  Jesus  with  little  children  in  his  arms  and 
with  his  hands  in  blessing  upon  their  heads.  He  had  seen 
Jesus  crowned  with  thorns  and  lifted  on  the  cross.  He 
had  seen  him  in  his  resurrection  beauty.  He  had  touched 
Jesus  and  his  hands  had  handled  him.  He  had  leaned 
back  upon  the  breast  of  Jesus  at  the  Last  Supper.  He 
had  felt  the  pressure  of  the  Master's  hand  and  a  hand- 
clasp can  often  express  truths  too  deep  for  words.  John 
had  seen  Jesus,  heard  him,  touched  him,  lived  with  him 
on  most  intimate  terms  for  years,  and  what  is  his  verdict? 
His  verdict  is  that  Jesus  is  the  eternal  life  of  God  made 
manifest  to  the  eyes  of  men,  so  that  they  see  God  when 
they  see  Jesus,  hear  God  when  they  hear  Jesus,  touch 
God  when  they  touch  Jesus. 

The  Testimony  of  the  Author  of  the   Epistle  to  the 


HoLMAN    Hunt 

THE  LIGHT   OF  THE  WORLD 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     235 

Hebrews.  Heb.  1  :l-4.  We  do  not  know  jnst  who  wrote 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews.  Some  Bible  scholars  think 
that  Paul  wrote  it;  others  do  not.  It  does  not  matter 
greatly,  however,  who  wrote  the  letter.  We  know  that 
whoever  wrote  it  had  a  wonderful  grasp  of  the  facts 
connected  with  the  Jewish  religion  and  likewise  a  pro- 
found knowledge  of  Christianity.  This  unknown  author 
finds  in  Jesus  the  complete  fulfillment  of  the  law,  the 
prophetical  writings,  and  the  psalms.  Like  the  apostle 
John  he  believes  Jesus  to  be  the  eternal  Son  of  God. 
He  calls  Jesus  the  effulgence  of  God's  glory  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  God's  substance. 

John  has  ascribed  to  Jesus  the  creative  power  which 
belongs  to  De'itf.  The  author  of  this  Epistle  ascribes  to 
Jesus  the  preserving  power  which  is  also  an  attribute  of 
Deity.  He  says  that  Jesus  upholds  all  things  by  the  word 
of  his  power.  He  adds  also,  "  When  he  had  made  puri- 
fication of  sins."  Perhaps  he  means  that  sin  is  the  great 
force  of  dissolution  and  destruction  and  that  by  purifica- 
tion of  sins  Jesus  sustains  the  universe  which  God  has 
brought  into  existence  by  the  word  of  his  power. 

The  Testimony  of  the  Apostle  PauL  Col.  1:15-17. 
Paul  had  probably  not  seen  Jesus  in  the  flesh,  but  he  saw 
the  light  of  his  presence  and  heard  his  voice  on  the 
Damascus  road.  Paul  had  been  a  persecutor  of  the 
Christians.  He  had  been  trained  as  a  Pharisee.  As  a 
young  man  he  had  gone  about  the  country  hunting 
down  Christians  and  compelling  them  to  blaspheme : 
that  is,  he  probably  tried  to  compel  them  to  say  that 
Jesus  was  not  the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God.  He 
must  have  been  familiar  with  every  possible  argument 
against  the  claims  of  Jesus  and  his  followers.  But  Paul 
came  to  believe  in  Jesus  just  as  the  apostle  John  did.  He 
said  that  Jesus  was  "  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the 
firstborn  of  all  creation ;  for  in  him  were  all  things 
created,  in  the  heavens  and  upon  the  earth,  things  visible 
and  things  invisible,  whether  thrones  or  dominions  or 
principalities  or  powers ;  all  things  have  been  created 
through  him,  and  unto  him  ;  and  he  is  before  all  things, 
and  in  him  all  things  consist." 

The   Testimony    of    Other    New   Testament   Writers. 


236    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

What  is  true  of  the  New  Testament  writers  we  have  men- 
tioned is  true  of  all  the  other  persons  who  took  part  in 
the  writing  of  the  New  Testament.  Matthew  evidently 
wrote  his  Gospel  primarily  tO'  convince  the  Jews  that 
Jesus  was  the  Messiah  and  the  Son  of  God.  Luke  shows 
us  the  humanity  and  the  universal  sympathy  of  Jesus, 
but  he  begins  his  Gospel  narrative  with  the  fullest  ac- 
count we  have  concerning  the  supernatural  origin  of  the 
Saviour  of  the  world.  Mark's  narratives  are  full  of  the 
power  which  Jesus  constantly  manifested  and  which  mere 
man  never  possessed.  When  the  New  Testament  writ- 
ers call  Jesus  "  Lord,"  they  are  using  a  term  which  in- 
dicates that  they  recognized  his  deity.  ^  So  we  see  that 
there  is  not  a  writer  of  the  New  Testament  who  does  not 
bear  testimony  to  the  deity  of  Jesus  Christ. 

More  Than  Ordinary  Human  Testimony.  We  believe 
that  the  New  Testament  is  a  part  of  the  inspired  Word  of 
God.  We  believe  that  its  authors  wrote  under  God's 
direction  and  that  their  conclusions  as  to  religious  truth 
are  infallible  because  they  were  directed  by  the  Spirit. 
We  have  gathered  then  some  valuable  testimony  which 
ought  to  be  considered  when  we  come  to  answer  our 
question,  "Who  is  Jesus?"  However,  we  have  not  yet 
summoned  all  the  important  witnesses.  In  our  next  les- 
son we  shall  consider  the  testimony  of  a  few  of  the  wit- 
nesses of  Christ  who  have  lived  since  New  Testament 
times. 

Notebook  Work 

Suitable  pictures  for  the  notebook:  St.  John  the  Evan- 
gelist by  Carlo  Dolci  (278  Wilde);  St.  Paul,  by 
Bartolommec  (452  Wilde). 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

WITNESSES  WHO  HAVE  BELIEVED  ON  JESUS  AS  THE 
SON  OF  GOD  THROUGH  THE  WORD  OF  HIS  DIS- 
CIPLES AND  THEIR  OWN  EXPERIENCES 

John  17:20;  7:14-18 

In  that  wonderful  prayer  recorded  in  the  seventeenth 
chapter  of  John,  Jesus  prayed  for  all  who  should  believe 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     237 

on  him  through  the  word  of  his  disciples.  Since  Jesus 
uttered  these  words,  the  number  of  people  who  believe 
on  him  as  God's  Son  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world  has 
been  constantly  increasing.  They  have  now  grown  to  be 
a  multitude  of  many  millions  and  they  are  scattered  over 
all  the  earth.  Out  of  this  cloud  of  witnesses  we  shall 
choose  a  few  who  have  thought  about  the  character  of 
Jesus  as  it  is  pictured  in  the  Gospels  and  have  come  to 
know  him  through  their  own  spiritual  experiences.  We 
shall  consider  what  answer  they  made  to  the  question, 
"Who  is  Jesus?" 

The  Witness  of  One  Who  Had  Known  the  Apostle 
John.  John  lived  to  be  a  very  old  man.  Many  of  the 
later  years  of  his  life  were  spent  at  Ephesus.  He  made 
frequent  trips  to  various  parts  of  Asia  Minor  and  on  one 
of  these  journeys  he  became  acquainted  with  a  young  lad 
named  Polycarp  whose  home  was  in  Smyrna.  Polycarp 
was  a  Christian  boy  and  he  grew  up  to  be  one  of  the 
great  leaders  of  the  Christian  Church  in  Asia  Minor. 
When  he  was  an  old  man,  a  great  persecution  of  the 
Christians  arose.  Polycarp  was  seized  and  brought  be- 
fore the  Roman  authorities.  The  Romans  had  de- 
termined to  destroy  every  trace  of  Christianity  and  they 
were  putting  to  death  all  who  would  not  worship  Caesar 
and  reproach  Christ. 

The  Roman  proconsul  tried  to  persuade  Polycarp  to 
swear  by  Caesar  and  deny  his  faith  in  Jesus.  *'  Swear, 
and  I  will  set  thee  at  liberty,"  he  urged.  "  Reproach 
Christ,  and  you  shall  live."  Polycarp  replied,  *'  Eighty 
and  six  years  have  I  served  him,  and  he  never  did  me 
an  injury ;  how,  then,  can  I  blaspheme  my  King  and  my 
Saviour." 

The  Testimony  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte.  We  are  not 
accustomed  to  think  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte  as  a  religious 
man.  His  wars  were  waged,  in  large  part,  because  of 
selfish  ambitions,  and  he  plunged  all  Europe  into  sor- 
row and  suffering.  But  after  Napoleon  had  met  his  de- 
feat at  Waterloo  and  had  been  banished  to  the  lonely 
island  of  St.  Helena,  he  began  to  think  on  matters  of  re- 
ligion. He  read  the  New  Testament,  discovered  its 
wonderful    message   and   its   wonderful    central    Person. 


238     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

He  thought  of  the  kingdom  he  had  won  and  lost  and  of 
the  Kingdom  of  Christ  in  comparison  with  it.  He  saw 
how  temporary  and  unsatisfying  had  been  his  own 
triumphs,  how  enduring  had  been  the  triumphs  of  Jesus. 
His  empire  was  gone  from  him  forever,  but  the  empire 
of  Jesus  wis  increasing  always  and  destined  to  cover 
all  the  earth.  He  saw  that  men  had  obeyed  him  through 
fear,  or  through  self-interest,  and  that  now  his  summer 
friends  had  all  disappeared  in  the  time  of  his  greatest 
need.  He  saw  that  men  obeyed  Christ  and  were  willing 
to  die  for  him  because  they  loved  him.  Talking  with  his 
few  companions  about  the  character  of  Jesus,  Napoleon 
said :  "  Everything  about  him  amazes  me.  I  know  men, 
and  I  tell  you  that  Jesus  is  something  more  than  a  man." 

The  Testimony  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  We  are  glad  to 
know  that  Abraham  Lincoln  has  left  on  record  his 
answer  to  the  question,  "  Who  is  Jesus?"  Lincoln  had  a 
wonderful  mind,  or  perhaps  we  ought  rather  to  say  that 
he  had  a  wonderful  soul.  He  did  not  possess  great  learn- 
ing, but  he  had  the  ability  of  a  Hebrew  prophet  to  read 
the  signs  of  his  time  and  to  see  God's  hand  in  it  all. 
Long  before  anyone  else  had  come  to  such  a  conclusion, 
he  declared  that  our  country  could  not  continue  to  exist 
half  free  and  half  slave.  In  the  dark  and  troubled  years 
just  preceding  the  Civil  War,  Lincoln  expressed  his  faith 
in  God  and  Christ  in  the  following  words :  "  I  know  there 
is  a  God,  and  that  he  hates  the  injustice  of  slavery.  I 
see  the  storm  coming,  and  I  know  that  his  hand  is  in  it. 
If  he  has  a  place  and  a  work  for  me,  and  I  think  he  has, 
I  believe  I  am  ready.  I  am  nothing,  but  truth  is  every- 
thing. I  know  I  am  right,  because  I  know  that  liberty  is 
right,  for  Christ  teaches  it,  and  Christ  is  God." 

The  Testimony  of  Daniel  Webster.  Daniel  Webster 
has  left  his  answer  to  the  question  we  are  considering. 
Carved  on  his  tombstone  in  the  old  Winslow  burying 
ground  at  Marshfield,  Massachusetts,  are  the  following 
words :  "  Philosophical  argument,  especially  that  drawn 
from  the  vastness  of  the  universe  in  comparison  with 
the  apparent  insignificance  of  this  globe,  has  sometimes 
shaken  my  reason  for  the  faith  that  is  in  me;  but  my 
heart  has  always  assured  me  and  reassured  me  that  the 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     239 

gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  divine  reality.  The  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  cannot  be  a  merely  human  production.  This 
belief  enters  into  the  very  depth  of  my  conscience ;  the 
whole  history  of  man  proves  it." 

The  Testimony  of  Sidney  Lanier.  This  gifted  southern 
poet  had  a  soul  peculiarly  responsive  to  the  beauties  of 
nature  and  to  all  that  is  pure  and  noble  in  human  per- 
sonality. A  stretch  of  dreary-looking  marsh  which  others 
might  consider  a  most  desolate  place  was  a  wonderland 
of  beauty  and  delight  to  Sidney  Lanier.  The  marsh- 
hen  building  her  reedy  nest  and  flying  in  all  the  spaces 
between  the  earth  and  the  sky  had  a  spiritual  message 
for  the  poet  leading  him  to  resolve  that  he  would  build 
him  a  nest  "  on  the  greatness  of  God."  What  would  such 
a  soul  give  as  an  answer  to  the  query,  "  Who  is  Jesus?" 
Fortunately  the  poet  has  answered  the  question  for  us. 
In  a  poem  called  "  The  Crystal,"  Sidney  Lanier  reviews 
some  of  the  greatest  persons  of  history.  He  speaks  of 
Shakspere,  Homer,  Socrates,  Milton,  and  several 
others.  He  recognizes  their  qualities  of  greatness,  but 
finds  in  each  some  imperfection.  He  closes  the  poem 
with  a  tribute  to  Jesus  as  the  perfect  One : 

But  Thee,  but  thee,  O  sovereign  Seer  of  time, 

But  thee,  O  poet's  Poet,  Wisdom's  Tongue, 

But  thee,  O  man's  best  Man,  O  love's  best  Love, 

O  perfect  life  in  perfect  labor  writ, 

O  all  men's  Comrade,  Servant,  King,  or  Priest — 

What  if,  or  yet,  what  mole,  what  flaw,  what  lapse, 

What  least  defect  or  shadow  of  defect, 

What  rumor,  tattled  by  an  enemy. 

Of  inference  loose,  what  lack  of  grace 

E'en  in  torture's  grasp,  or  sleep's,  or  death's — 

Oh,  what  amiss  may  I  forgive  in  Thee. 

Jesus,  good   Paragon,  thou  Crystal  Christ? 

The  Testimony  of  the  World's  Greatest  Artists.     Not 

all  the  testimony  concerning  the  greatness  of  the  charac- 
ter of  Jesus  and  the  uniqueness  of  his  personality  has 
been  what  we  may  call  "  word  of  mouth  "  testimony. 
The  painters  of  the  pictures  which  are  recognized  as  the 
world's  masterpieces  have  in  their  way  paid  tribute  to 
Jesus  as  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 


240     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Of  the  twelve  paintings  most  often  recognized  as  the 
greatest  pictures  in  the  world,  all  but  one  represents 
some  event  in  the  life  of  Jesus.  What  is  true  of  paint- 
ing is  true  in  other  forms  of  art.  The  most  sublime 
songs  are  those  in  which  both  the  words  and  the  melody 
were  produced  under  the  inspiration  which  comes  from 
contemplating  the  perfections  of  the  character  of  Jesus. 
*'  Rock  of  Ages,"  "  Jesus,  Lover  of  My  Soul,"  "  Sun  of 
My  Soul,  Thou  Saviour  Dear,"  and  many  other  hymns 
are  evidences  of  the  influence  of  Jesus  over  the  hearts 
and  minds  of  his  followers.  They  express  the  answers 
which  some  of  the  world's  greatest  souls  have  given  to 
the  question,  "Who  is  Jesus?" 

The  Testimony  of  Millions  of  Witnesses  for  Nearly 
Two  Thousand  Years.  We  might  go  on  setting  down  the 
testimony  concerning  Jesus  until  we  had  a  volume 
written.  Indeed,  the  testimony  would  fill  so  many 
volumes  that  it  is  hard  for  us  to  tell  how  many  there 
would  be,  for  the  witnesses  have  been  numbered  by  mil- 
lions and  they  have  been  present  in  every  generation  for 
nearly  two  thousand  years.  At  the  close  of  John's 
Gospel  there  is  a  significant  statement.  He  has  given 
in  this  wonderful  little  account  of  Jesus,  which  has  been 
called  the  most  beautiful  book  in  the  world,  his  testimony 
concerning  Jesus,  or  at  least  a  small  part  of  his  testimony. 
He  goes  on  to  say,  "  And  there  are  also  many  other 
things  which  Jesus  did,  the  which  if  they  should  be 
written  every  one,  I  suppose  that  even  the  world  itself 
would  not  contain  the  books  that  should  be  written." 
John  21 :25.  If  this  was  true  in  John's  time,  how  much 
more  evident  is  it  in  our  day  that  if  all  the  witnesses  of 
Jesus  who  live  to-day  or  have  lived  in  the  past,  should 
write  down  all  that  Jesus  has  done  for  them  and  all  that 
he  has  been  to  them,  the  world  would  not  be  large 
enough  to  contain  the  books  that  should  be  written. 

If  such  a  volume  of  testimony  could  be  written  and 
gathered,  the  testimony  of  each  individual  would  differ 
from  that  of  each  other  individual  in  some  respects,  be- 
cause God  has  never  created  any  two  people  exactly 
alike.  However,  there  would  be  a  general  agreement 
running  through   the  testimony  of  all  who  have  come 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS    241 

truly  to  know  Jesus  through  the  testimony  of  his  dis- 
ciples and  through  personal  experience.  We  have  a 
splendid  statement  of  what  this  agreement  is  concerning 
Jesus  and  his  relation  to  God  and  human  redemption. 
It  has  come  down  to  us  through  nearly  two  thousand 
years  and  it  is  known  as  The  Apostles'  Creed. 

I  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven  and 
earth: 

And  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only  Son,  our  Lord;  who  was  con- 
ceived by  the  Holy  Ghost;  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary;  suffered 
under  Pontius  Pilate;  was  crucified,  dead,  and  buried;  he  de- 
scended into  hell;  the  third  day  he  arose  again  from  the  dead; 
he  ascended  into  heaven;  and  sitteth  on  the  right  hand  of  God 
the  Father  Almighty;  from  thence  he  shall  come  to  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead. 

I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost;  the  holy  catholic  Church;  the 
communion  of  saints;  the  forgiveness  of  sins;  the  resurrection  of 
the  body;  and  the  life  everlasting.     Amen. 

Something  Besides  Evidence  Necessary  for  Real  Faith 
in  Jesus.  If  the  evidence  for  the  deity  of  Jesus  and  the 
proofs  of  his  Saviourhood  are  so  vast  and  so  evident, 
why  do  not  all  who  have  ever  heard  of  him  believe  on 
him?  For  the  simple  fact  that  something  more  than 
evidence  is  necessary  for  a  real  faith  in  Jesus  as  God's 
Son  and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  The  scribes  and 
Pharisees  had  evidence  enough,  but  they  did  not  believe. 
Jesus  told  them  why  they  did  not  believe  him  and  his 
teaching  in  the  following  straightforward  statement: 
"  My  teaching  is  not  mine,  but  his  that  sent  me.  If  any 
man  willeth  to  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  teach- 
ing, whether  it  is  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  from  my- 
self." John  7:16,  17.  People  to-day  who  have  heard  of 
Jesus  and  who  do  not  believe  on  him  are  in  a  state  of 
doubt,  not  because  of  the  lack  of  evidence,  but  because 
they  are  unwilling  to  do  the  will  of  God  as  it  is  revealed 
in  Jesus  Christ  his  Son. 

The  Lksson  Prayer 

O  God,  our  Father,  give  us  honest  hearts  and  willing 
minds  that  we  may  believe  all  the  messages  of  truth 
which  thou  hast  given  us  in  Jesus  Christ,  thy  Son.    Teach 


242    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

us  day  by  day  to  know  him  and  love  him,  for  in  know- 
ing him  we  come  to  know  thee  and  in  loving  him  we  are 
loving  thee.  We  ask  thy  pardon  for  our  sins  of  neglect 
and  for  the  thoughtfulness  which  makes  us  often  act 
as  unworthy  children  of  thine.  Teach  us  the  more  per- 
fect way.  Develop  within  our  souls  moral  earnestness, 
compassion  for  all  in  distress,  high  life  purposes.  We 
ask  in  Jesus  name.    Amen. 

The  Lksson  Hymn 

Immortal  Love,  forever  full, 

Forever  flowing  free, 
Forever  shared,  forever  whole, 

A  never-ebbing  sea! 


We  may  not  climb  the  heavenly  steeps 

To  bring  the  Lord  Christ  down; 
In  vain  we  search  the  lowest  deeps, 

For  him  no  depths  can  drown: 

But  warm,  sweet,  tender,  even  yet 

A  present  help  is  he; 
And  faith  has  still  its  Olivet, 

And  love  its  Galilee. 

The  healing  of  his  seamless  dress 

Is  by  our  beds  of  pain; 
We  touch  him  in  life's  throng  and  press, 

And  we  are  whole  again 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  540. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  CHOICE  OF  JESUS  AS  SAVIOUR  AND  LORD:  A 
DECISION  DAY  SERVICE 

Matt.  16  :15-17  ;  I  Kings  18  :20,  21 ;  John  6  :66-69  ; 
Rom.  10:9,  10 

We  Hiave  now  spent  several  months  studying  the  life 
and  the  teachings  of  Jesus.  When  anyone  studies  God's 
Word  with  an  honest  heart,  God  sends  his  Holy  Spirit 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     243 

to  guide  that  person  into  the  way  of  truth.  Pupils  who 
have  studied  these  lessons  will  be  brought  face  to  face 
with  Jesus'  question,  ''"Who  say  ye  that  I  am?"  This 
is  a  question  which  each  one  of  us  must  answer  and 
answer  for  ourselves.  No  one  can  answer  it  for  us.  Our 
answer  to  this  question  is  the  most  important  of  all  the 
great  decisions  of  life.  Upon  its  answer  depends  our 
future  not  only  for  the  years  of  this  life  but  for  an  end- 
less existence.  Most  people  answer  this  question  before 
they  are  sixteen  years  of  age.  The  chart  on  page  244 
is  based  on  a  study  of  8631  cases  of  conversion ;  that  is, 
it  shows  the  age  at  which  these  people  answered  for 
themselves  the  question  of  Jesus,  *'  Who  say  ye  that  I 
am?"  All  of  these  8631  persons  answered  Jesus'  ques- 
tion in  much  the  same  way  that  Peter  answered  it: 
"  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God."  More 
of  them  gave  this  answer  at  the  age  of  sixteen  than  at 
any  other  age,  but  many  gave  this  noble  answer  when 
they  were  fifteen,  fourteen,  thirteen,  or  younger.  Indeed, 
among  young  people  who  have  been  well  taught  at  home 
and  in  church,  the  greater  number  answer  the  question 
before  they  are  twelve.  The  age  of  sixteen  stands  high- 
est in  this  study  because  our  homes  and  churches  are 
not  always  doing  well  their  task  of  religious  instruc- 
tion, and  also  because  young  people  often  delay  their 
answer  to  the  question  of  Jesus. 

Don't  Go  "  Limping  Between  the  Two  Sides."  One  of 
the  passages  chosen  for  our  study  in  this  lesson  tells  of 
Elijah's  heroic  admonition  to  the  Hebrews  of  his  day. 
A  great  conflict  was  on  between  two  types  of  religion, 
between  the  worshipers  of  Jehovah  and  the  worshipers 
of  Baal.  Many  people  had  become  enthusiastic  wor- 
shipers of  the  pagan  idol,  Baal.  Idol  worship  laid  no 
moral  restriction  upon  them  and  they  liked  that  kind  of 
religion.  There  were  a  very  few  who  were  still  devout 
worshipers  of  Jehovah.  But  perhaps  the  majority  of  the 
people  were  neither  wholly  on  the  one  side  nor  wholly 
on  the  other.  Elijah  called  upon  them  to  make  that  day 
a  day  of  decision :  "  How  long  go  ye  limping  between  the 
two  sides?  if  Jehovah  be  God,  follow  him;  but  if  Baal, 
then  follow  him."    The  same  conflict  is  still  on  between 


244    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 


good  and  evil,  between  Christ  and  Baal,  the  antichrist. 
No  one  can  afford  to  become  a  person  who  goes  "  limping 
between  the  two  sides  "  in  this  great  conflict. 

Don't  Be  Among  Those  Who  "Also  Go  Away."  It 
will  be  remembered  how  Jesus,  when  the  multitudes 
were  forsaking  him,  turned  to  his  twelve  disciples  and 
said,  "Will  ye  also  go  away?"  This  same  question  is 
before  many  young  people  who  have  studied  these  les- 
sons.    They   are   children    of   the   covenant.      Christian 

AGEofCONVERSION 


AGES 
6-29 


IG 


14 


12 


10 


u 


13 


15 


17 


8631 
PERSONS 


18 


a  ml 


m 


lu  ca  cj 

0)  n  CO 


so 


SI 


-^ariucacjc/ioi-JO)CficD^(DC/iuroiu 

Kt  ^t  *!?  m\  m*   en  m     IV   ^    ^1   m   nt  _  rv  n    m  r<    r% 


parents  have  dedicated  them  to  God  in  their  infancy  and 
caused  them  to  be  baptized  as  lambs  of  the  flock.  They 
have  become  disciples  of  Jesus  by  the  choice  of  their 
parents  who  have  taught  them  religious  truth  at  home 
and  caused  them  to  be  enrolled  in  Sunday  school.  These 
are  Christ's  own.  They  have  now  reached  an  age  when 
many  of  their  companions  who  have  not  been  blessed 
with  Christian  parents  will  be  dropping  from  the  Sunday 
school  and  ceasing  to  attend  church,  falling  away  into 
a  lifelong  neglect  of  that  which  is  their  most  precious 
possession,  selling  the  soul's  birthright  for  the  mess  of 


IXTERAIEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     245 

the  world's  pottage.  To  these  the  spirit  of  Jesus  says, 
"Would  ye  also  go  away?"  Happy  is  the  boy  or  girl 
of  the  Christian  family  who  has  heroism  enough  to 
stand  up  for  Jesus  under  the  circumstances,  and  if  neces- 
sary to  stand  alone,  who  answers  in  Peter's  noble  fashion : 
"Lord,  to  whom  shall  we  go?  thou  hast  the  words  of 
eternal  life.  And  we  have  believed  and  know  that  thou 
art  the  Holy  One  of  God." 

How  a  Person  Becomes  a  Christian.  Many  little  chil- 
dren are  true  disciples  of  Jesus  because,  as  we  have  said, 
their  parents  have  made  the  choice  of  discipleship  for 
them.  As  they  grow  into  manhood  and  womanhood  they 
have  to  decide  whether  or  not  they  are  going  to  remain 
disciples.  They  must  come  to  know  and  accept  Jesus 
for  themselves  and  not  for  another.  The  way  in  which 
anyone  becomes  a  personal  follower  of  Jesus  and  enters 
into  the  Christian  life  is  very  simple.  About  all  we  need 
to  know  is  mentioned  in  the  few  words  which  we  have 
chosen  from  Paul's  letter  to  the  Romans,  "  If  thou  shalt 
confess  with  thy  mouth  Jesus  as  Lord,  and  shalt  believe 
in  thy  heart  that  God  raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou 
shalt  be  saved."  To  confess  Jesus  as  Lord  means  that 
we  believe  him  to  be  God's  Son  and  that  we  pledge  our 
allegiance  to  him  as  our  Master  and  Guide.  We  must 
believe  in  Jesus  with  a  definite  faith  which  goes  so  far 
as  to  accept  as  true  the  story  of  his  resurrection. 

Thk  Law  of*  All^gianck  To  Jesus  as  Lord 

(To  be  subscribed  to  by  all  who  have  heretofore  be- 
come Christians  or  who  now  make  the  decision  for  the 
Christian  life.) 

We  believe  that  the  Bible  and  the  events  of  history 
teach  that  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God  and  the  Saviour  of 
the  world.    Therefore : 

1.  We  accept  Jesus  as  our  Lord  and  Master. 

2.  We  pledge  allegiance  to  Jesus  and  to  his  Kingdom. 

3.  We  will  strive  to  do  what  Jesus  would  have  us 
do  and  to  be  what  he  would  have  us  be. 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE  MATCHLESS  CHARACTER  OE  JESUS 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

SOME  OF  JESUS'  PERSONAL  TRAITS  OF  CHARACTER 
AND  HIS  ATTITUDE  TOWARD  HIS  FELLOW  MEN 

It  is  not  possible  for  us  to  make  a  list  of  all  the  qualities 
which  entered  into  the  personality  of  Jesus.  Neither  is  it 
possible  for  us  to  trace  all  the  many  ways  in  which  these 
qualities  were  combined  in  his  perfect  character.  The 
making  of  even  a  partial  list  of  the  qualities  which  are 
manifest  in  the  character  of  Jesus  may,  however,  be  help- 
ful to  us.  It  is  good  for  us  to  be  able  to  recognize  and 
name  the  virtues  he  possessed. 

A  Perfectly  Balanced  Personality.  As  a  child  Jesus 
"  grew,  and  waxed  strong,  becoming  full  of  wisdom :  and 
the  grace  of  God  was  upon  him."  Luke  2  :40,  and  margin. 
In  other  words  he  had  a  perfect  physical,  intellectual, 
and  spiritual  development. 

As  a  young  man  "  Jesus  advanced  in  wisdom  and 
stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  men."  These  words 
give  us  a  picture  of  ideal  youth.  Youth  ought  to  be  a 
time  of  intellectual,  physical,  religious,  and  social 
progress.  Jesus  as  a  young  man  advanced  in  wisdom. 
He  was  diligent  in  study  so  that  he  knew  the  Bible  in  a 
wonderful  way  and  Avas  able  to  silence  his  critics  in 
every  one  of  the  numerous  conflicts  he  had  with  them. 
He  knew  how  to  guide  his  disciples  and  how  to  open  unto 
them  the  Scriptures.  He  advanced  in  stature.  Jesus 
must  have  had  great  physical  strength.  He  made  long 
journeys  on  foot.  He  worked  far  into  the  night  and 
on  the  following  morning  arose  a  great  while  before  day. 
He  could  speak  to  vast  multitudes  by  the  sea,  or  on  the 
mountain  side,  a  task  requiring  great  vigor  and  a  voice 
of  unusual  power.  Jesus  increased  in  his  religious  life. 
He  had  a  constantly  growing  consciousness  of  his  re- 

246 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     247 

lationship  to  God.  Jesus  increased  in  favor  with  men. 
He  was  no  recluse  like  John  the  Baptist.  He  moved 
among  men  and  shared  their  joys  and  their  sorrows. 
\A'hat  a  perfect  ideal  for  every  youth:  a  body  strong  and 
vigorous,  a  mind  keen  and  powerful,  a  spirit  responsive 
to  all  that  is  good  and  pure,  a  social  nature  tenderly 
sympathetic  with  every  type  of  humanity! 

Jesus  in  His  Relationships  to  Other  People.  What  we 
are  is  manifested  clearly  in  the  attitude  we  habitually 
maintain  toward  the  people  with  whom  we  come  in  con- 
tact from  day  to  day.  Let  us  now  consider  very  briefly 
the  attitude  which  Jesus  constantly  maintained  in  his 
dealings  with  people: 

1.  He  was  cheerful.  His  enemies  found  fault  with 
him  because  he  and  his  disciples  seemed  to  be  having 
a  good  time  together.  He  did  not  deny  the  charge,  but 
said  that  his  little  company  was  indeed  like  a  bridal 
party.  He  felt  at  times  the  burden  of  the  world's  sins. 
He  knew  how  to  weep  with  those  who  wept,  but  through 
all  his  life  he  kept  up  his  cheerfulness.  In  the  darkest 
hour  he  could  say  to  his  followers,  "  Be  of  good  cheer; 
I  have  overcome  the  world."    John  16  :33b. 

2.  He  was  optimistic.  We  do  not  find  in  any  utter- 
ance of  his  any  suggestion  that  he  ever  felt  doubt  as  to 
the  ultimate  outcome  of  the  great  mission  he  had  under- 
taken. His  eyes  could  see  the  white  harvest  fields  when 
all  others  wxre  saying,  "  There  are  yet  four  months,  and 
then  Cometh  the  harvest."    John  4  :35. 

3.  He  was  friendly.  His  friendship  was  so  wide  that 
it  included  publicans,  Samaritans,  lepers,  and  moral  out- 
casts of  many  kinds.  His  enemies  reproached  him  for  the 
wideness  of  his  social  sympathies,  sneeringly  calling 
him  "  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners,"  Luke  7 :34. 
When  a  Roman  captain  came  and  told  Jesus  about  his 
servant  being  sick,  Jesus  answered  instantly,  "  I  will 
come  and  heal  him."     Matt.  8  :5-7. 

4.  He  was  democratic.  Jesus  refused  to  bring  his 
conduct  into  harmony  with  the  caste  systems  of  his  day. 
He  talked  with  the  woman  of  Samaria.  He  chose  a  publi- 
can to  be  a  disciple.  Matt.  9:9-13.  He  told  his  dis- 
ciples to  carry  his  gospel  to  all  the  nations.    Matt.  28  :19. 


248    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

5.  He  was  sympathetic.  He  was  moved  with  compas- 
sion at  the  sight  of  a  man  afflicted  with  the  leprosy. 
Mark  1 :40-42.  He  had  that  great  kind  of  pity  which 
goes  out  not  only  to  individuals  but  to  multitudes.  Jesus 
was  moved  with  compassion  at  the  spiritual  need  of  the 
multitudes,  for  he  saw  that  they  were  like  sheep  without 
a  shepherd.  Matt.  9  :36,  37.  He  was  moved  with  com- 
passion when  he  saw  their  physical  needs.  Matt.  15  :32. 
He  had  compassion  on  the  blind.     Matt.  20  :34. 

6.  He  was  tolerant.  Great  wisdom  sometimes  makes 
its  possessor  intolerant  toward  the  opinions  of  other 
people.  Jesus  never  showed  any  trace  of  intolerance. 
When  his  disciple  John  told  of  rebuking  a  certain  person 
who  had  been  casting  out  demons  in  Jesus'  name,  be- 
cause that  person  was  not  one  of  the  regular  disciples, 
Jesus  said,  "  Forbid  him  not."    Mark  9  :38-40. 

7.  He  was  generous.  Jesus  said,  *'  Give  to  him  that 
asketh  thee,  and  from  him  that  would  borrow  of  thee 
turn  not  thou  away."  Matt.  5  :42.  Many  little  incidents 
help  us  to  know  that  Jesus  practiced  the  generosity  which 
he  preached.  On  a  certain  occasion  he  said  a  few  words 
to  Judas,  the  treasurer  of  the  company.  His  disciples 
saw  him  speak  to  Judas  and  they  supposed  that  he  asked 
Judas  to  give  something  to  the  poor.    John  13  :29. 

8.  He  was  thoughtful  concerning  the  comfort  of 
others.  When  he  had  brought  the  little  daughter  of 
Jairus  back  to  life,  he  asked  them  to  give  her  something 
to  eat.  Luke  8  :55.  He  did  not  wish  to  send  the  multi- 
tudes away  fasting  because  some  of  them  had  come  from 
far  and  he  feared  that  they  might  faint  by  the  way. 
Mark  8  :l-4. 

9.  He  was  kind.  Most  of  the  healings  of  Jesus  were 
primarily  acts  of  kindness  toward  those  in  distress.  He 
was  kind  to  a  poor  woman  whom  the  Jews  thought  ought 
to  be  stoned.  John  8:1-11.  He  was  kind  to  little  chil- 
dren.    Mark  10:13-16. 

10.  He  was  tactful.  He  handled  skillfully  a  delicate 
situation  which  had  risen  among  the  disciples  and  which 
might  have  led  to  lasting  ill  will  and  permanent  division 
among  them.    Mark  10 :35-45. 

11.  He  was  humble.     Possessing  wisdom  and  power 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     249 

he  was  yet  as  he  said  of  himself,  "  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart."  He  took  on  himself  the  form  of  a  servant.  Matt. 
11:29. 

12.  He  was  courteous.  He  laid  down  the  fundamental 
law  of  courtesy  in  the  Golden  Rule  and  he  lived  in 
perfect  harmony  with  that  precept.  On  one  occasion  he 
evidently  changed  his  plans  and  gave  up  his  work  for 
a  time  in  Judea  because  he  realized  that  his  successes 
were  making  problems  for  John  the  Baptist.  John  4: 
1-3. 

13.  He  was  chivalrous.  Jesus  was  a  defender  of 
women  and  children  in  an  age  when  such  chivalrous  con- 
duct was  not  common.  He  seems  to  have  had  tender 
compassion  for  the  widows  and  the  fatherless.  Perhaps 
his  mother  had  been  a  widow  during  much  of  the  time 
when  Jesus  lived  at  Nazareth.  Jesus  defended  Mary 
when  she  was  being  censured  by  Judas  and  the  other 
disciples  for  what  they  regarded  as  extravagance.  Matt. 
26:6-13. 

14.  He  was  calm  and  self-possessed  under  the  most 
trying  circumstances.  When  falsely  accused  and  shame- 
fully mistreated  he  either  answered  nothing,  or  his  replies 
were  such  as  to  show  that  he  was  free  from  all  anger  and 
resentment.    John  18  :19-24. 

15.  He  was  patient.  Jesus'  dealings  with  his  dis- 
ciples during  the  whole  time  that  they  were  with  him  is 
a  continuous  illustration  of  his  unvarying  patience.  They 
learned  but  slowly,  but  their  Teacher  was  patient. 
Patience  shows  even  in  the  instances  when  he  found  it 
necessary  to  reprove  them.  He  always  seemed  to  take 
into  consideration  that  "  the  spirit  ...  is  willing,  but  the 
flesh  is  weak."     Mark  14  :38. 

16.  He  was  wholly  sincere.  Absolute  sincerity  was 
evident  in  all  that  he  said  and  did.  His  yea  always  meant 
yea  and  his  nay  always  meant  nay.  He  could  not  bear  in- 
sincerity in  any  form.  He  detected  it  in  the  almsgiving 
of  his  day  and  in  the  prayers  of  the  leaders  of  the  Jewish 
religion.  One  of  his  great  objectives  seems  to  have  been 
to  eradicate  every  form  of  insincerity  from  the  lives  of 
his  apostles.    Matt.  6  :2-15. 

17.  He  was  diligent.     His  life  during  his  ministry  of 


250     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

only  about  three  years  was  full  o£  constant  and  earnest 
endeavor.  He  worked  late  into  the  night  and  rose  early 
in  the  morning  and  gave  up  much  needed  rest  to  help  the 
multitudes.  Well  might  he  say,  *'  My  Father  worketh 
even  until  now,  and  I  work."  Impending  disasters  could 
not  discourage  him  or  cause  him  to  slacken  his  efforts. 
"  We  must  work  for  the  works  of  him  that  sent  me,  while 
it  is  day,"  said  Jesus ;  "  the  night  cometh,  when  no  man 
can  work."  John  9 :4.  On  another  occasion  he  said 
"  My  meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  and  to 
accomplish  his  work."    John  4  :34. 

18.  He  was  loyal.  Jesus  was  loyal  to  the  religion  of 
the  Hebrews  and  to  the  Hebrew  nation.  He  told  his 
disciples  that  not  one  jot  or  tittle  should  pass  from  the 
law  until  all  should  be  fulfilled.  He  told  them  to  obey 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees,  as  the  rightful  leaders  of  the 
Hebrew  religion;  but  he  warned  them  against  the  evil 
doings  of  these  hypocritical  people.  He  loved  Jerusalem 
as  the  city  chosen  of  Jehovah  and  wept  over  it  when  he 
thought  of  its  ultimate  fate.     Luke  13  :34. 

19.  He  was  courageous.  Nearly  every  utterance  of 
Jesus  is  an  evidence  of  lofty  moral  courage.  He  dared  to 
challenge  the  evil  practices  and  the  false  standards  of 
his  day,  even  though  he  saw  from  very  early  in  his 
ministry  that  this  course  would  bring  disastrous  con- 
sequences to  him  personally.  His  enemies  could  not 
intimidate  him.  They  could  not  frighten  him  out  of  the 
country.  They  could  not  cause  him  to  be  silent,  or  to 
modify  his  message  to  suit  the  conditions  of  the  day. 
When  the  time  came  he  set  his  face  steadfastly  to  go 
up  to  Jerusalem.  Single-handed  he  drove  a  multitude  of 
money  changers  and  sellers  of  doves  and  oxen  from  the 
Temple  courts.    Matt.  21 :12,  13. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     251 


SUNDAY  SESSION 

JESUS'  ATTITUDE  TOWARD  GOD  AND  TOWARD 
HIMSELF 

Matt.  5  :45  ;  6  :25-34  ;  John  6  :35-51 

In  our  last  lesson  we  studied  Jesus'  attitude  toward 
the  people  he  met.  But  there  are  other  and  even  more 
important  relationships  than  those  which  we  have  with 
our  fellow  men.  We  must  each  of  us  maintain  some  sort 
of  relationship  toward  God.  It  may  be  an  attitude  of 
neglect,  but  even  neglect  is  an  attitude.  In  this  lesson 
we  wish  first  of  all  to  discover  what  sort  of  attitude  Jesus 
maintained  toward  God. 


Thk  Attitude  of  Jesus  Toward  God 

Nothing  is  more  fundamental  in  the  character  of  any 
person  than  the  attitude  that  a  person  maintains  toward 
God.  If  a  person's  attitude  toward  God  is  not  right  his 
attitude  toward  his  fellow  men  cannot  be  right.  At 
first  thought,  it  may  seem  to  us  that  Jesus  cannot  be  our 
model  in  this  matter  as  he  is  in  other  matters.  He  was 
God's  Son  and  he  stood  in  a  unique  relationship  to  God. 
And  yet  as  we  study  the  life  of  Jesus,  we  see  that  he 
lived  as  a  man  while  he  was  on  earth.  He  met  the  same 
temptations  we  meet.  He  refused  always  to  use  his 
divine  powers  to  help  himself  and  to  escape  from  the 
experiences  which  are  common  to  mankind.  Hence  he 
is  our  model  in  his  attitude  toward  God  quite  as  truly 
as  he  is  our  model  in  his  attitude  toward  men. 

Jesus  Felt  God's  Presence  in  All  His  Works.  He 
thought  of  God  as  the  Father  in  heaven  who  feeds  the 
birds  and  who  notices  the  fall  of  every  sparrow.  To 
Jesus,  God  was  the  Author  of  all  that  is  good  and  beauti- 
ful. He  has  given  the  lily  that  beauty  which  is  above 
the  glory  of  Solomon.  Matt.  6  :29.  It  is  God  who  clothes 
the  grass  and  who  causes  the  sun  to  shine  upon  the 
evil  and  the  good  and  who  sends  the  rain  on  the  just 
and  the  unjust.  Matt.  5  :45.  It  was  probably  this  sense 
of  fellowship  with  God  in  his  works  that  led  Jesus  to  go 


252     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

apart  so  often  into  the  mountains  and  to  be  often  alone 
under  the  stars  and  by  the  sea  at  night. 

Jesus'  Attitude  Toward  God  Was  That  of  an  Obedient 
Child  to  a  Parent.  In  Old  Testament  times  people  had 
thought  of  God  chiefly  as  a  ruler.  He  was  the  Sovereign 
King.  His  power  was  to  be  feared.  Before  his  fierce 
anger  none  could  stand.  It  is  true  that  a  few  prophetic 
souls  caught  other  visions  of  Jehovah.  They  conceived 
of  him  as  a  good  shepherd  who  led  his  flock  beside  the 
still  waters,  but  they  thought  of  him  more  as  the 
Shepherd  of  the  nation  than  as  the  Shepherd  of  in- 
dividuals. Great  prophets  like  Hosea  came  to  under- 
stand something  of  God's  fatherly  love  and  compassion 
for  his  chosen  people.  But  it  remained  for  Jesus  to  re- 
veal and  teach  the  fatherhood  of  God  for  all  of  the  chil- 
dren of  men.  John  says  that  Jesus  revealed  the  God  of 
light  in  whom  is  "  no  darkness  at  all."  I  John  1 :5.  Paul 
says  in  his  letter  to  the  Romans,  "  Ye  received  not  the 
spirit  of  bondage  again  unto  fear;  but  ye  received  the 
spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father."  Rom. 
8:15.  In  his  letter  to  the  Galatians  Paul  also  says, 
"  And  because  ye  are  sons,  God  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of 
his  Son  into  our  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."    Gal.  4:6. 

Jesus  tried  to  lead  his  disciples  to  think  of  God  as  a 
Father.  He  told  them  that  God  knew  all  about  their 
needs  and  that  they  need  not  be  anxious  about  such 
things  as  food  and  clothing,  because  the  Father  knew  that 
they  needed  these  things.  He  urged  them  to  ask  large 
things  from  God.  He  said  to  them,  "And  of  which  of 
you  that  is  a  father  shall  his  son  ask  a  loaf,  and  he 
give  him  a  stone?  or  a  fish,  and  he  for  a  fish  give  him 
a  serpent?  ...  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give 
good  gifts  unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall 
your  heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  that 
ask  him?"    Luke  11  :lC  13. 

Jesus  Lived  in  Constant  Fellowship  and  Communion 
with  God.  He  spent  whole  nights  talking  with  God. 
Before  his  manifestation  of  divine  power  at  the  grave 
of  Lazarus,  he  paused  and  spoke  with  his  Father.  John 
11:41,  42.     He  prayed  at  his  baptism  and  at  his  trans- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     253 

figuration.     Luke  3  :21 ;  9 :29.     He  prayed  with  his  dis- 
ciples in  the  upper  room. 

Jesus  Was  Constantly  Thankful  to  God.  He  gave 
thanks  before  partaking  of  food  or  drink.  Luke  22  :17. 
When  the  twelve  disciples  returned  from  their  success- 
ful campaign  of  healing  and  preaching,  Jesus  was  glad 
with  a  great  and  deep  joy.  His  first  impulse  was  one  of 
gratitude  to  God  for  this  first  fruits  of  the  movement  for 
the  building  of  a  Kingdom  by  his  followers  under  his 
guidance.  His  prayer  is  like  a  shout  of  glad  and  en- 
thusiastic thanksgiving,  "  I  thank  thee,  O  Father,  Lord 
of  heaven  and  earth,  that  thou  didst  hide  these  things 
from  the  wise  and  understanding,  and  didst  reveal  them 
unto  babes :  yea,  Father,  for  so  it  was  well-pleasing  in 
thy  sight."     Matt.  11 :25,  26. 

The  Attitude  of  Jesus  Toward  Himsele 

Perhaps  the  pupils  who  study  these  lessons  have  never 
thought  of  the  importance  of  the  attitude  which  a  per- 
son maintains  toward  himself.  And  yet  this  is  one  of 
the  matters  of  utmost  importance,  for  it  determines,  to 
a  marked  degree,  our  character.  What  should  a  person's 
attitude  be  toward  himself?  This  question  is  nowhere 
answered  more  fully  and  more  satisfactorily  than  in  the 
life  of  Jesus. 

Jesus  Was  Not  Self-Centered.  Many  lives  are  largely 
spiritual  failures  because  they  are  essentially  self- 
centered.  When  the  test  comes  and  the  deeper  motives 
are  laid  bare,  it  is  revealed  that  the  supreme  objective 
of  the  life  is  self-glory.  Self-centered  people  never  make 
a  supreme  sacrifice  for  a  great  cause.  They  make  no 
great  renunciations.  How  dififerent  it  was  in  the  life  of 
Jesus !  From  first  to  last  as  we  study  his  life  we  are 
conscious  that  he  is  wholly  free  from  self-centeredness. 
What  his  enemies  said  of  him  as  he  hung  on  the  cross, 
"  He  saved  others ;  himself  he  cannot  save,"  was  true, 
though  not  in  the  way  they  intended  it.  He  could  not 
save  himself  and  accomplish  his  task ;  he  could  not  save 
himself  and  save  the  world,  so  he  gave  himself  up  to  be 
crucified. 


254    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

Jesus  Possessed  Self-Reverence.  This  is  not  saying 
that  he  had  any  quality  of  character  at  all  like  what  we 
call  self-conceit.  It  means  that  he  was  free  from  that  kind 
of  false  humility  which  is  really  self-depreciation  and 
mistrust  of  oneself.  He  had  that  in  his  character 
which  made  him  spurn  anything  that  was  in  the  least 
tainted  with  impurity  and  evil.  It  was  this  quality  which 
helped  him  to  gain  the  victory  in  every  temptation.  The 
evil  in  the  Tempter's  suggestions  was  hard  to  detect, 
but  Jesus  felt  its  presence  and  the  utter  incompatibility 
of  any  contaminated  act  with  his  perfect  character.  For 
want  of  a  better  name  we  call  this  quality  self-reverence. 

Jesus  Possessed  Self-Confidence.  He  never  doubted 
at  all  the  ultimate  outcome  of  his  labors.  The  words  he 
spoke  were  life  and  truth ;  they  would  be  spread  abroad 
over  all  the  earth.  The  Church  he  was  establishing 
was  being  builded  on  a  rock  and  the  gates  of  Hades 
should  not  prevail  against  it  But  the  self-confidence 
of  Jesus  was  based  on  a  deep  consciousness  of  his  perfect 
harmony  with  the  purposes  of  God.  That  is  the  kind  of 
confidence  we  ought  to  have.  The  self-confidence  which 
is  based  on  a  consciousness  of  harmony  with  God's  plans, 
and  on  a  s^nse  of  right  relationships  with  him,  is  a  self- 
confidence  which  is  free  from  egotism.  It  is  the  kind 
of  humble  confidence  Avhich  Joseph  had  when  he  stood 
before  Pharaoh  and  said,  ''  It  is  not  in  me:  God  will  give 
Pharaoh  an  answer  of  peace."     Gen.  41 :16. 


Tut  Le:sson  Prayer 

Our  Father,  we  thank  thee  for  the  life  of  Jesus.  Give 
us  that  hunger  for  his  perfect  righteousness  which  will 
make  us  earnest  seekers  after  truth  and  valiant  soldiers 
in  the  battle  against  evil.  Give  us  right  attitudes  to- 
ward our  companions,  the  inmates  of  our  homes,  and 
toward  all  the  people  we  meet  from  day  to  day.  Develop 
within  us  that  spirit  of  kindness,  courtesy,  fidelity,  and 
perseverance  found  in  Jesus  thy  Son.  Teach  us  to  see 
new  beauty  in  his  perfect  life  and  to  desire  strongly  to 
be  like  him.    We  ask  in  his  name.    Amen. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS    255 

The:  Lksson  Hymn 

O  could  I  speak  the  matchless  worth, 
O  could  I  sound  the  glories  forth 

Which  in  my  Saviour  shine, 
I'd  soar  and   touch   the   heavenly  strings, 
And  vie  with  Gabriel  while  he  sings 

In  notes  almost  divine. 


I'd  sing  the  characters  he  bears, 
And  all  the  forms  of  love  he  wears. 

Exalted  on  his  throne: 
In  loftiest  songs  of  sweetest  praise, 
I  would  to  everlasting  days 

Make  all  his  glories  known. 

"  The  Hymnal  "  (Revised),  No.  159 

See   "  The   Story  of  the   Hymns  and   Tunes,"   by   Brown   and 
Butterworth,  page  136. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

THE  GOAL  FOR  CHRISTIAN  CHARACTER  DEVELOP- 
MENT 

I  John  3  :2,  3  ;  II  Cor.  3  :18 ;  Phil.  4 :8 

In  the  New  Testament  the  character  of  Jesus  is  de- 
clared to  be  the  model  character  and  the  goal  toward 
which  every  follower  of  Jesus  ought  to  be  moving.  Paul 
declares  that  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  God  has  caused 
the  light  of  his  glory  to  shine  forth,  and  that  in  beholding 
that  light  we  are  transformed  "  into  the  same  image  from 
glory  to  glory.''  II  Cor.  3  :18 ;  4 :6.  He  urges  his  Philip- 
pian  friends  to  think  on  the  things  that  are  honorable, 
just,  pure,  lovely,  of  good  report,  virtuous,  and  praise- 
worthy. Phil.  4:8.  All  the  qualities  which  Paul  men- 
tions in  this  noble  admonition  are  found  in  perfection 
in  the  character  of  Jesus. 

John  the  beloved  disciple  has  some  statements  on  the 
same  subject.  His  profound  mind  was  ever  inclined 
to  go  back  to  the  beginning  and  forward  to  the  endless 
eternity.  He  was  impressed  by  the  possibilities  for 
measureless  development  in  character  for  those  who  are 


256     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

children  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ  "  Beloved,  now 
are  we  children  of  God,"  says  he,  ''  and  it  is  not  yet  made 
manifest  what  we  shall  be.  We  know  that,  if  it  shall  be 
manifested,  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him 
even  as  he  is."    I  John  3  :2,  and  margin. 

There  is  no  true,  deep,  and  abiding  joy  and  satisfac- 
tion which  exists  independently  of  what  we  are,  or  in 
other  words,  which  is  not  the  result  of  purity  and  nobility 
of  character.  Therefore  the  choice  of  Jesus  as  Lord  is 
the  choice  of  a  path  which  leads  to  the  truest  and  most 
abiding  happiness.  The  greatest  joys  of  life  come 
to  us  incidentally ;  that  is,  they  come  to  us  while 
we  are  giving  ourselves  in  unselfish  service.  They  come 
in  this  way  because  unselfish  service  builds  character, 
and  happiness  is  a  by-product  of  noble  character-build- 
ing. The  deeper  joys  and  abiding  satisfactions  of  life  are 
never  experienced  by  the  mere  pleasure  seeker,  because 
pleasure-seeking  makes  for  selfish  and  shallow  character 
and  in  the  very  nature  of  things  such  a  character  cannot 
know  great  and  deep  joys. 

A  life  cannot  be  truly  and  widely  useful  unless  it 
is  linked  with  greatness  of  character.  What  we  are  de- 
termines what  we  will  do  and  what  we  can  do.  Every 
worthy  boy  and  girl  dreams  of  accomplishing  great 
things  in  life.  Whether  or  not  the  dream  shall  come  true 
does  not  depend  on  accidental  circumstances  and  the 
presence  or  absence  of  suitable  opportunities.  There  will 
be  opportunities  enough.  Whether  or  not  the  dream 
comes  true  depends  primarily  on  what  each  boy  or  girl 
chooses  to  become.  "Have  thy  tools  ready;  God  will 
find  thee  work,"  is  an  ancient  and  true  adage.  A  choice 
of  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord  is  therefore  a  choice  of  the  path 
which  leads  up  to  highest  usefulness. 

BiBivi:  Vkrsks 
Matt.  25:31-46;  John  10:27,  28;  12:25;  17:1,  2;  Rom. 
6:23;  Phil.  3  :8,  9 ;  Eph.  3:14-17. 

Study  Topics 
1.     Development  of  Peter's  Character  Under  the  In- 
fluence of  Jesus. 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     257 

2.  Transformations  in  the  Life  of  Paul  Due  to  the 
Influence  and  Power  of  Jesus. 

3.  Changes  in  the  Character  of  the  Apostle  John  Due 
to  the  Power  and  Influence  of  Jesus. 

4.  How  Levi  the  Publican  Became  Matthew  the  Dis- 
ciple. 

5.  How  Jesus  Changes  the  Character  of  His  Follow- 
ers To-Day. 

(Illustrate  by  the  story  of  John  B.  Gough,  Jerry  Mc- 
Auley,  and  others.  See  "  Twice-Born  Men,"  by  Harold 
Begbie.) 

6.  Why  Character  Is  Worth  More  Than  Material 
Riches. 

7.  A  Runaway  Slave  Who  Became  the  Beloved  and 
Faithful  Helper  of  the  Apostle  Paul.  Philemon ;  Col. 
4:9. 

8.  How  the  Character  of  a  Publican  Was  Changed 
Through  A  Few  Hours  Fellowship  With  Jesus.  Luke 
19:1-10. 

9.  How  Young  People  of  Intermediate  Age  May  Be- 
come More  Like  Jesus  in  Character. 

10.  Why  Many  Professed  Christians  Fail  to  Grow 
More  and  More  Like  Jesus  in  Character. 

Thk  Law  oi^  Character  De:vki.opme:nt 

The  character  of  Jesus  as  shown  in  the  Gospels  is  of 
matchless  beauty  and  perfection.     Therefore: 

1.  We  will  take  his  perfect  character  as  our  life  goal. 

2.  We  will  strive  earnestly  and  perseveringly  to  be- 
come like  him. 

3.  We  will  endeavor  to  know  him  better  from  day  to 
day,  through  the  study  of  his  life  and  through  personal 
experience,  trusting  that  thus  our  ideals  as  to  life  and 
duty  may  be  constantly  lifted  and  strengthened. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE  KINGDOM  OF  JESUS 

WEEK  DAY  SESSION 

A  WORLD-WIDE  DOMINION  OF  BROTHERHOOD  AND 
SERVICE 

Psalm  72;  Isa.  11:1-9;  Matt.  13:31-33,  44-46 

Many  of  the  Jewish  people  would  not  accept  Jesus  as 
the  Messiah  because  he  was  unwilling  to  set  up  the  kind 
of  kingdom  they  desired  and  because  he  refused  to  be 
the  kind  of  king  they  thought  the  Messiah  ought  to  be. 
These  people  were  right  in  their  expectation  that  the 
Messiah  would  be  a  king  and  that  he  would  set  up  a 
kingdom.  Jesus  came  to  build  a  Kingdom  and  to  be  a 
King,  but  his  plans  and  purposes  were  far  above  the 
plans  and  purposes  of  his  fellow  countrymen  in  these 
matters.  The  Jewish  patriotism  of  the  time  of  Jesus  was 
narrow,  selfish,  and  revengeful.  With  this  spirit  Jesus 
could  not  have  fellowship  and  cooperation.  He  had  come 
to  accomplish  the  glorious  destiny  of  the  Jewish  race 
so  long  foretold,  to  make  of  that  race  a  blessing  to  all 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  If  Jesus  had  yielded  to  the  popu- 
lar demand  and  set  up  the  kind  of  kingdom  the  people 
wished,  the  promises  which  God  had  given  in  the 
Old  Testament  could  not  have  been  fulfilled.  A  brief 
study  of  a  few  Old  Testament  passages  will  show  why 
this  is  true. 

An  Old  Testament  Song  of  Hope.  Psalm  72.  This 
psalm  expresses  the  hopes  and  the  longings  of  righteous 
people  in  Old  Testament  times  and  God's  gracious  as- 
surances to  them  that  their  highest  hopes  and  their  deep- 
est longings  would  be  answered  in  due  time.  We  should 
remember  that  the  psalms  are  songs  and  that  psalms  like 
this  were  sung  for  hundreds  of  years  in  the  stately  serv- 
ices of  the  Temple,  in  the  simpler,  but  no  less  spiritual, 
services  of  the  synagogues,  and  around  the  firesides  of 
thousands  of  Jewish  homes.    This  song  pictures  an  ideal 

258 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     259 

king  and  a  perfect  kingdom.  The  king  is  absolutely 
just:  "He  will  judge  thy  people  with  righteousness." 
The  king  is  perfect  in  mercy.  His  chief  concern  is 
not  for  himself,  nor  for  those  who  are  high  in  positions 
of  authority  and  power.  He  is  concerned  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  poor  and  the  children  of  the  needy. 

*'  He  will  come  down  like  rain  upon  the  mown  grass, 
As  showers  that  water  the  earth." 
The  kingdom  over  which  this  ideal  king  is  to  reign 
is  to  be  universal : 
"  He  shall  have  dominion  also  from   sea  to  sea,  And 
from  the  River  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth." 
The  kingdom  is  to  be  everlasting.    Men  are  to  be  his 
subjects. 
"  While  the  sun  endureth, 

And  so  long  as  the  moon,  throughout  all  genera- 
tions." 
All  mankind  is  to  be  blessed  in  this  king  and  he  is  to 
receive  their  homage  forever. 

A  Prophet's  Vision  of  the  Golden  Age.  Isa.  11  :l-9. 
These  words  of  Isaiah  tell  of  the  ideal  king  and  of  his 
reigfi  of  universal  peace.  Similar  passages  are  to  be 
found  in  the  written  words  of  nearly  every  one  of  the 
prophets.  Beyond  the  wars  and  commotions  of  the  times 
in  which  the  prophets  lived  they  were  led  of  God  to  see 
a  time  when  wars  should  be  forever  ended ;  when  men 
should  "  not  hurt  nor  destroy  "  in  all  the  holy  mountain 
of  God  and  the  earth  should  "  be  full  of  the  knowledge 
of  Jehovah,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 

The  New  Testament  ReafBrms  the  Promises  of  the 
Old  Testament.  Luke  1:32,  33;  Matt.  3:1-12.  The 
promise  of  an  ideal  king  and  an  everlasting  kingdom 
which  is  so  clearly  promised  in  the  Old  Testament  is 
carried  over  into  the  New  Testament  without  any  loss 
of  emphasis.  The  angel  messengers  spoke  of  the  Christ- 
child  as  one  who  should  occupy  "  the  throne  of  his 
father  David,"  and  who  should  "  reign  over  the  house 
of  Jacob  for  ever."  John  the  Baptist  went  forth  preach- 
ing that  the  Kingdom  of  heaven  was  at  hand.  To  John 
the   Messiah   was  to  be   a   conquering   King,   one  .who 


260    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

should  *'  cleanse  his  threshing-floor "  and  burn  up  the 
chaff  '*  with  unquenchable  fire."  The  twelve  apostles 
became  followers  of  Jesus  fully  expecting  that  a  king- 
dom was  to  be  established  forthwith.  The  multitudes 
thronged  about  Jesus  awaiting  the  moment  when  the 
kingdom  should  be  proclaimed  and  the  standard  of  re- 
volt raised  against  the  Romans. 

Jesus  and  the  Kingdom.  Mark  1 :14 ;  Matt.  13  :31-33  ; 
6  :10  ;  John  18  :33-38.  Jesus  began  his  ministry  with  the 
proclamation  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  was  at  hand. 
He  meant  that  the  kingdom  of  which  the  prophets  had 
spoken  and  of  which  the  preceding  generations  of  the 
Jewish  people  had  sung  was  about  to  begin.  Even  be- 
fore he  began  to  preach,  Jesus  must  have  thought  long: 
and  deeply  about  the  nature  of  the  Kingdom  he  was 
sent  to  establish  on  the  earth.  Should  he  use  the  methods 
which  kings  had  always  used?  Should  he  have  a  stand- 
ing army,  a  capital  city,  a  court  with  high  officials  of 
state?  Should  he  use  his  divine  powers  to  enforce  obedi- 
ence and  to  overthrow  the  evil  opposition  of  his  enemies? 
When  he  returned  from  the  wilderness  he  had  settled 
these  problems,  for  all  time.  He  would  not  use  force  to 
establish  his  Kingdom  in  the  world.  He  would  not  use 
his  divine  power  to  save  himself,  but  to  save  others.  He 
would  depend  upon  the  less  spectacular  and  the  less 
rapid  forces.  He  would  teach.  He  would  persuade.  He 
would  use  spiritual  means  rather  than  material  means  for 
the  building  of  a  spiritual  Kingdom. 

As  we  consider  the  things  which  Jesus  said  concern- 
ing the  Kingdom  of  God,  we  come  to  see  that  he  brought 
to  light  the  deepest  truths  of  the  Old  Testament  on  the 
subject,  truths  which  had  been  lost  to  sight  in  the  nar- 
row and  selfish  conceptions  of  the  times.  Jesus  be- 
lieved in  a  world-wide  kingdom.  When  his  followers 
were  only  a  little  group  of  hardly  more  than  a  dozen 
people,  and  when  everything  seemed  to  point  to  a  speedy 
dissolution  of  the  movement  which  he  had  begun,  Jesus 
spoke  of  the  time  when  his  gospel  should  be  preached  in 
all  the  world.  His  last  charge  to  his  disciples  was  to  go 
and  make  disciples  among  all  nations. 

Jesus  beHeved  in   an   everlasting  kingdom.     He   said 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     261 

that  he  was  building  on  a  rock  and  that  the  gates  of 
Hades  could  never  overthrow  the  structure  whose 
foundations  he  was  laying.  Jesus  believed  in  a  spiritual 
kingdom.  He  told  Pilate  that  his  Kingdom  was  not  of 
this  world.  Did  he  mean  that  his  Kingdom  was  not  to 
be  set  up  in  this  world,  but  only  in  heaven?  Evidently 
not.  His  Kingdom  was  to  be  in  the  world,  but  not  of  the 
world.  It  was  not  to  be  of  a  kind  like  the  other  kingdoms 
of  the  earth.  It  was  to  be  made  up  of  all  who  give  obedi- 
ence to  Jesus  as  their  King,  not  from  outward  compul- 
sion, but  from  an  inner  impulse  of  love  and  gratitude. 

The  Kingdom  of  Jesus  in  the  World  of  To-Day.  The 
Kingdom  of  God  which  Jesus  organized  has  been  grow- 
ing through  the  centuries.  Its  citizens  now  number 
many  millions.  Thousands  of  missionaries  are  toiling 
year  after  year  to  spread  the  boundaries  of  the  King- 
dom out  to  include  all  the  earth.  Jesus'  prediction  that 
his  gospel  should  be  preached  in  all  the  earth  is  being 
fulfilled.  Other  world  religions  like  Mohammedanism 
and  Buddhism  are  on  the  decline.  Christianity  is  in- 
creasing in  the  number  of  its  believers  and  in  its  power 
over  the  life  of  the  world.  Jesus  will  surely  become 
King  over  all  the  earth. 

"  The  City  of  God."  Early  in  the  fifth  century  there 
was  living  in  northern  Africa  one  of  the  great  men  who 
are  known  as  "  The  Fathers  of  the  Christian  Church." 
His  name  was  Augustine.  It  was  a  time  of  great  uncer- 
tainty and  of  world-wide  unrest.  The  Romans  had 
ruled  the  world  for  many  centuries.  Their  great  capital, 
Rome,  had  held  sway  over  large  portions  of  the  earth 
for  a  thousand  years.  The  Romans  and  many  other 
people  had  come  to  believe  that  this  city  by  the  Tiber 
was  forever  established  as  the  mistress  of  the  world. 
They  called  Rome  "  The  Eternal  City."  But  toward  the 
close  of  Augustine's  life  Rome  was  tottering.  Hordes 
of  northern  barbarians  were  pushing  southward  and  the 
very  existence  of  "  The  Eternal  City  "  was  endangered. 
During  these  years  Augustine  wrote  a  book  in  the  Latin 
language.  He  called  it  "  De  Civitate  Dei,"  the  "  Of  the 
City  of  God."  In  this  book  he  argued  that  the  Christian 
religion  and  not  Rome  is  the  true  "  Eternal  City." 


262    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

If  we  are  followers  of  Jesus  Christ  we  have  become 
citizens  of  this  "  City  of  God."  It  is  our  duty  and  our 
opportunity  to  extend  its  borders  and  perpetuate  its 
blessings.  Many  noble  followers  of  Jesus  have  labored  to 
build  this  city  and  the  Master  gave  his  life  for  it.  Yet 
we  each  have  a  part  in  the  great  task;  we  are  coworkers 
with  the  heroes  of  the  faith  in  past  centuries.  God  has 
provided  that  apart  from  us  and  those  who  follow  us,  the 
work  of  his  faithful  ones  of  the  past  shall  "  not  be  made 
perfect." 

SUNDAY  SESSION 

A  DOMINION  OVER  THE  WHOLE  OF  LIFE 
I  Cor.  15:20-28 

At  one  time  Jesus  said  to  the  Pharisees,  "  The  king- 
dom of  God  cometh  not  with  observation :  .  . .  for  .  .  .  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  within  you."  In  his  teaching  Jesus 
recognized  two  characteristics  of  the  Kingdom  of  heaven. 
It  was  a  force  in  the  world  and  it  was  a  new  life  in 
each  individual  who  believed  in  him  as  the  Son  of  God. 
In  both  of  these  spheres  the  Kingdom  grows.  It  spreads 
abroad  over  the  earth  in  a  territorial  expansion.  It 
grows  within  the  soul  of  each  believer,  bringing  every 
thought  and  motive  into  subjection  to  Christ  and  build- 
ing a  soul  character  which  is  modeled  after  his  likeness. 
In  our  Scripture  lesson  Paul  says  that  Jesus  must  reign 
until  he  has  put  all  things  under  his  feet.  This  complete 
reign  of  Jesus  is  not  yet  perfect  in  any  individual,  in 
any  community,  in  any  nation;  but  it  is  coming  to  be 
more  nearly  perfect  year  by  year  and  century  by  century. 

King  of  Our  Lives.  The  dominion  of  Jesus  within  the 
life  of  the  individual  is  a  matter  of  utmost  importance  for 
it  is  the  foundation  of  his  dominion  in  the  world.  He 
rules  the  world  only  as  he  rules  individual  lives.  His 
dominion  within  the  life  of  the  individual  varies  greatly. 
Some  have  only  begun  to  know  what  it  means  to  have 
Jesus  reign  within  and  reign  alone.  Some  are  much 
farther  along  the  road  of  discipleship.  Their  lives  are 
coming  more  and  more  largely  under  the  control  of  the 
ideals  Jesus  taught,  conforming  more  and  more  closely 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS     263 

to  the  perfect  life  he  lived.  Jesus  said  that  the  King- 
dom of  God  is  like  the  growth  of  a  plant ;  that  it  is  "  first 
the  blade,  then  the  ear,  then  the  full  grain  in  the  ear." 

It  is  a  very  great  mistake  for  us  to  think  of  only  a  few 
of  our  acts  as  having  religious  significance.  If  we  think 
of  going  to  church,  praying,  and  reading  the  Bible,  as 
a  list  covering  the  chief  items  of  religious  activity,  we 
have  a  very  inadequate  conception  of  what  the  religion  of 
Jesus  really  means.  The  Christian  religion,  if  it  is  to 
be  real  and  potent  must  express  itself  in  the  whole  of 
life.  It  must  govern  us  in  every  relationship  with  our 
fellow  men.  Jesus  interpreted  religion  in  terms  of  fel- 
lowship with  God  and  with  men ;  in  terms  of  service, 
justice,  and  mercy.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees  kept  a 
small  compartment  of  their  lives  with  great  care  for  in 
it  they  imagined  they  held  secure  and  safe  all  there  was 
of  religion.  Jesus  made  the  whole  of  life  a  matter  of 
religion.  If  we  are  to  be  Christians  worthy  of  the  name 
we  bear,  we  must  have  a  conception  of  religion  like 
that  of  our  great  Leader. 

King  in  the  Home.  The  religion  of  Jesus  is  just  as 
important  in  the  home  as  it  is  in  the  Church.  Perhaps 
we  should  say  that  it  is  more  important  in  the  home 
than  it  is  in  the  Church,  because  we  spend  so  much 
more  time  at  home  than  we  do  at  church.  The  home 
is  the  most  important  organization  in  the  world.  When 
the  homes  of  a  nation  are  brought  into  harmony  with 
the  ideals  of  Jesus,  the  civilization  of  that  nation  grows 
great  and  strong  and  its'  spiritual  welfare  is  assured. 
The  Christian  home  is  a  place  of  worship.  If  there  are 
no  family  altars  in  the  homes  of  a  nation,  there  Avill  be 
no  real  altars  of  worship  in  the  churches  of  the  nation. 
The  Christian  home  is  the  most  important  agency  of 
religious  education.  Home  influences  have  the  first 
chance  to  mold  the  characters  of  children  and  for  the 
first  five  or  six  years  of  life  home  influences  are  practi- 
cally without  competing  influences.  Thus  when  Jesus 
is  King  in  the  home,  he  touches  life  at  its  very  beginning. 

King  in  Our  Schools.  Charles  Dickens  wrote  a  novel 
in  which  he  pictured  the  condition  in  certain  schools  of 
his  day.     Many  of  the  schools  of  that  time  must  have 


264    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

been  places  where  children  were  oppressed  and  tor- 
mented. Even  some  of  our  parents  can  remember  the 
time  when  the  schools  of  our  country  were  dreary 
and  dreaded  child  prisons  rather  than  places  of  happy 
activity.  To-day  our  schools  are  becoming  more  and 
more  attractive.  Children  who  dislike  to  go  to  school 
are  now  the  exception.  Most  children  find  the  school- 
room a  happy  place  to  be.  These  changes  in  our  schools 
are  due  almost  wholly  to  the  influence  of  Jesus  in  educa- 
tion. Our  schools  have  become  Christianized,  to  a  larger 
extent  than  they  used  to  be.  When  Jesus  is  made  King 
in  our  schools,  in  the  classroom,  and  on  the  pla3^ground, 
the  spirit  of  kindness,  diligence,  and  true  enjoyment 
governs  the  whole  institution. 

King  in  the  Business  World.  Jesus  is  not  yet  King  in 
the  world  of  business  as  he  is  in  our  Christian  homes 
and  in  our  best  schools.  Too  often  we  find  in  business 
the  spirit  of  selfishness  which  is  the  very  opposite  of  the 
spirit  of  Jesus.  Employers  and  employees  often  regard 
one  another  as  enemies.  The  employer  sometimes  tries 
to  get  as  much  labor  out  of  his  employees  as  he  can 
and  to  pay  as  low  wages  as  he  can.  The  employee  some- 
times aims  to  get  as  high  wages  as  he  can  and  to  do  as 
little  as  he  can  to  earn  the  wages  he  receives.  We  have 
said  that  these  conditions  sometimes  exist.  It  is  good 
to  remember  that  they  do  not  exist  everywhere  in  the 
world  of  industry  and  that  more  and  more  the  Golden 
Rule  of  Jesus  is  being  recognized  in  business.  Business 
men  and  men  who  labor  with  their  hands  are  slowly 
learning  that  the  teachings  of  Jesus  apply  in  every  phase 
of  industry  and  that  a  lasting  and  satisfactory  industrial 
system  cannot  be  built  on  any  other  foundation. 

King  of  the  Nations.  The  relations  which  exist  be- 
tween nations  have  only  begun  to  feel  in  any  large  way 
the  influence  of  the  teachings  of  Jesus.  Until  very  re- 
cently the  nations  of  the  earth  have  maintained  an  atti- 
tude of  armed  neutrality  toward  one  another,  even  in 
times  of  peace.  They  have  fortified  their  frontiers  with 
great  guns  and  spread  mines  of  high  explosives  over  the 
floors  of  their  harbors.  The  rule  of  might  has  been  pro- 
claimed as  the  highest  law  of  nations  in  certain  circles 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS    265 

and  it  has  prevailed  to  an  alarming  extent  in  all  interna- 
tional relationships. 

These  conditions  have  existed  because  the  nations,  as 
such,  have  not  been  Christianized.  Many  of  the  nations 
have  contained  many  Christian  people  and  have  been 
called  Christian  nations,  but  in  their  attitudes  toward 
one  another  they  have  been  governed  by  pagan  standards 
rather  than  by  the  standards  of  Jesus.  The  World  War 
came  because  the  nations  of  the  earth  were  not  dealing 
with  one  another  in  the  way  Jesus  taught. 

Just  as  Jesus  had  become  King  in  the  Christian  home, 
and  just  as  he  is  becoming  King  in  the  Christian  school, 
so  he  must  become  King  in  all  industrial  matters  and  in 
all  international  matters.  This  is  one  of  the  great  tasks 
for  the  years  just  ahead.  It  is  one  of  the  greatest  tasks 
Christianity  has  ever  undertaken. 

The:  Li:sson  Praye:r 
Our  Father  in  heaven,  we  can  never  repay  thee  for 
thy  great  gift  in  Jesus,  thy  Son.  We  can  never  lay  hold 
upon  all  the  truth  which  thou  hast  revealed  unto  the 
world  through  his  teaching  and  his  life,  for  that  truth 
is  beyond  the  power  of  man's  mind  to  fathom.  We  know, 
however,  that  we  can  be  ever  growing  in  our  love  for 
thee  and  in  our  gratitude  to  thee.  We  know  that  we 
can  be  forever  learning  lessons  of  truth  in  thy  Son.  We 
would  therefore  be  continually  thankful  and  unfailingly 
loyal.  We  would  take  thy  Son  as  our  King  and  Teacher. 
We  would  grow  more  and  more  like  him  in  character. 
We  would  have  him  rule  our  thoughts  and  words  and 
deeds.  Teach  us  how  to  exalt  him  in  our  homes,  in 
our  schools,  in  our  communities,  in  our  nation,  and  in 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth.    We  ask  in  his  name.    Amen. 

The  Lesson  Hymn 

Rejoice,  the  Lord  is  King: 

Your  Lord  and  King  adore; 
Rejoice,  give  thanks  and  sing, 

And  triumph  evermore: 
Rejoice,  again  I  say,  Rejoice. 
Lift  up  your  heart,  lift  up  your  voice; 


266    INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

His  Kingdom  cannot  fail, 

He  rules  o'er  earth  and  heaven; 
The  keys  of  death  and  hell 

Are  to  our  Jesus  given: 
Lift  up  your  heart,  lift  up  your  voice: 
Rejoice,  again  I  say,  Rejoice. 

He  sits  at  God's  right  hand 

Till  all  his  foes  submit, 
And  bow  to  his  command. 

And  fall  beneath  his  feet: 
Lift  up  your  heart,  lift  up  your  voice; 
Rejoice,  again  I  say.  Rejoice. 

"The  Hymnal"  (Revised),  No.  143. 


EXPRESSIONAL  SESSION 

CITIZENS   OF  CHRIST'S   KINGDOM 
Eph.  4:11-16,  25-32 

Paul  wrote  the  words  of  our  Scripture  lesson  to  cer- 
tain citizens  of  Ephesus.  The  people  to  whom  he  wrote, 
however,  had  lately  become  citizens  in  a  kingdom 
of  another  sort  than  that  of  the  city  of  Ephesus. 
They  had  become  citizens  of  the  Kingdom  of  Christ. 
Some  of  the  things  Paul  wrote  to  these  Ephesian 
Christians  are  well  worth  our  study,  for  they  are  just 
as  important  for  the  Christians  of  to-day  as  they  were 
for  the  Christians  of  some  two  thousand  years  ago. 

Mutual  Helpfulness.  Vs.  11,  12.  In  these  verses  Paul 
speaks  of  a  kind  of  division  of  labor  which  is  to  exist 
among  the  followers  of  Christ.  Some  are  to  be  evan- 
gelists, some  apostles,  some  pastors,  some  teachers. 
Selfish  personal  ambitions  are  eliminated,  for  all  these 
various  activities  are  to  be  for  the  building  up  of  each 
citizen  of  Christ's  Kingdom  into  the  fullness  of  Christ. 
Unselfish  service  is  a  distinguishing  characteristic  of  the 
true  citizens  of  the  Kingdom. 

Perfect  Unity.  Vs.  13-16.  Paul  compares  the  follow- 
ers of  Jesus  to  the  physical  body  of  an  individual.  Each 
part  of  a  person's  body  exists  to  help  each  other  part. 
No  part  can  be  severed  from  the  other  parts  without  suf- 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS    267 

fering  loss  or  destruction.  This  unity  of  interests  and 
feelings  and  purposes  is  one  of  the  characteristics  of 
citizens  of  the  Kingdom. 

Perfect  Truthfulness.  V.  25.  Sir  Francis  Bacon 
said  that  "  where  there  is  no  regard  for  the  truth,  there 
can  be  no  safe  communication  between  man  and  man." 
Where  there  is  not  a  perfect  regard  for  truth,  there  can 
be  no  Christian  unity  and  this  is  why  Paul  urges  the 
Ephesian  Christians  to  put  away  all  falsehood  and  speak 
nothing  but  truth  "  each  one  with  his  neighbor." 

Perfect  in  Self-ControL  Vs.  26,  27.  Anger  is  a  dan- 
gerous emotion  because  it  often  leads  us  to  say  sinful 
things  and  do  sinful  acts.  Paul  does  not  condemn  anger 
in  itself,  but  he  urges  Christians  to  be  angry  and  sin 
not.  Anger  against  evil  things  is  at  times  helpful  for 
the  Christian.  Anger  long  continued  is  a  smoldering 
fire  which  spoils  one's  disposition  and  is  apt  to  break 
out  into  disastrous  conflagrations  at  unexpected  times. 
Hence  Paul  advises  that  anger  be  quickly  terminated : 
"  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not :  let  not  the  sun  go  down  upon 
your  wrath." 

Perfect  in  Honesty  and  Industry.  V.  28.  There  can 
be  no  Christian  unity  where  there  is  no  regard  for  per- 
sonal rights  in  property,  so  Paul  commands  the  Ephesian 
Christians  to  eliminate  every  form  of  theft  and  to  labor 
patiently  and  diligently  so  that  each  may  have  enough 
for  himself  and  the  means  of  helping  others  who  fall  into 
misfortune. 

Perfect  in  Speech.  Vs.  29-32.  The  words  which  we 
speak  are  evidences  of  what  we  are.  Speech  is  a  mighty 
agency  for  either  good  or  evil.  Hence  it  is  not  strange 
that  Paul  writes  to  his  Ephesian  converts  warning  them 
against  "  corrupt "  speech  and  admonishing  them  to 
speak  those  things  which  are  "  good  for  edifying."  He 
likewise  goes  down  to  the  soul  sources  which  determine 
what  we  say.  He  urges  the  Ephesians  to  purge  them- 
selves of  all  bitterness,  wrath,  anger,  clamor,  railing  and 
malice,  and  to  cultivate  a  spirit  that  is  kind,  tender- 
hearted, and  forgiving.  The  boy  or  girl,  man  or  woman, 
who  is  able  to  live  up  to  these  splendid  admonitions  will 
be  a  worthy  citizen  of  Christ's  Kingdom, 


268     INTERMEDIATE  CHURCH  SCHOOL  LESSONS 

B1B1.1:  Ve;rsi:s 

Matt.  7:21;  Luke  9:61,  62;  John  3:3;  Matt.  18:1-3; 
Acts  14:21,  22;  Rom.  14:17;  James  2:5. 

RKVII:w  Qui:STlONS 

1.  What  kind  of  kingdom  did  the  Jews  expect  the 
Messiah  to  set  up? 

2.  What  kind  of  kingdom  had  the  prophets  foretold? 

3.  Name  some  of  the  parables  of  the  Kingdom  and 
show  what  each  was  intended  to  teach. 

4.  In  what  respects  were  Jesus'  conceptions  of  the 
Kingdom  of  heaven  above  those  of  other  people  of  his 
day? 

5.  What  means  did  Jesus  use  for  building  up  his 
Kingdom  ? 

6.  Why  do  we  believe  that  the  Kingdom  of  Jesus 
will  conquer  the  earth  and  last  forever? 

7.  Is  Jesus  less  truly,  or  is  he  more  truly,  a  king  than 
any  other  monarch  who  has  ever  lived?    Why? 

8.  After  the  whole  world  has  heard  of  Christ  and  all 
people  have  become  followers  of  him,  what  work  will 
yet  remain  to  be  done? 

9.  What  changes  will  the  full  dominion  of  Jesus  have 
upon  present  methods  in  the  business  world? 

10.  How  will  the  teachings  of  Jesus  affect  the  rela- 
tionships of  nations  to  one  another? 

Study  Topics 

1.  The  Democracy  of  the  Kingdom.     James  2:1-9. 

2.  Citizens  of  the  Kingdom  and  Their  Blessings. 
Matt.  5  :3-12. 

3.  Are  There  Limits  to  the  Per  Cent  of  Profit  Which 
a  Christian  Can  Justly  Derive  from  His  Business? 

4.  Causes  Which  Led  to  the  World  War. 

5.  Was  Our  Nation  Guided  by  Christian  Principles 
When  It  Returned  the  Boxer  Indemnity  to  China?  Why? 

6.  Do  Christian  Principles  Lay  Any  Restrictions  on 
the  Kind  and  the  Amount  of  Tariff  We  Impose  on 
Foreign  Goods?    yVhj? 


INTERMEDIATE  CHURCPI  SCHOOL  LESSONS    269 

7.  Ways  in  Which  We  Can  Make  Jesus  King  of  Our 
Homes. 

8.  Ways  in  Which  We  Can  Make  Jesus  King  in  Our 
Schools. 

The:  Law  of  AivLEGianck  to  Christ's  Kingdom 

Jesus  came  to  earth  to  establish  a  world-wide  and 
everlasting  dominion  over  the  souls  of  all  mankind. 
Therefore  as  citizens  of  his  Kingdom : 

1.  We  will  strive  to  obey  our  King  at  all  times  and 
in  every  way. 

2.  We  will  try  to  make  his  dominion  perfect  in  our 
homes,  our  communities,  and  our  nation. 

3.  We  will  help  to  extend  his  Kingdom  into  all  the 
earth. 


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